2 days Ago By By Marie Lychuk
When people think of April 1, their minds often think of fun pranks and jokes. This was not always the case, as in France where April 1 was seen as the new year (since that was when the spring equinox occurred). Once the country switched from the Julian calendar to the Gregorian calendar (around the end of the 1500s), the new year changed to Jan.
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Your pledge helps to ensure we provide the news that matters most to your community! When people think of April 1, their minds often think of fun pranks and jokes. This was not always the case, as in France where April 1 was seen as the new year (since that was when the spring equinox occurred). Once the country switched from the Julian calendar to the Gregorian calendar (around the end of the 1500s), the new year changed to Jan.
1. Read unlimited articles for free today: Already have an account? Opinion When people think of April 1, their minds often think of fun pranks and jokes. This was not always the case, as in France where April 1 was seen as the new year (since that was when the spring equinox occurred).
Once the country switched from the Julian calendar to the Gregorian calendar (around the end of the 1500s), the new year changed to Jan. 1. People who didn’t know of the date change and still celebrated April 1 as the new year began to get called “April fools.
” People would place paper fish on them to single them out, calling them “poissons d’Avril,” which translates to “April Fish.” By the 1800s, April Fools’ Day had spread throughout Europe, becoming a continent-wide celebration. Pranks often consisted of pinning fake tails on people and putting “kick me” signs on their backs.
As the day expanded worldwide, everyone seemed to participate in the fun. Radio stations made unbelievable claims, sports magazines wrote about athletes with inhuman abilities (like when Sports Illustrated made up a baseball player with a fastball of 168 miles per hour in 1985), or when pranksters on BBC announced that Big Ben would get a design switch to look more modern in 1980. As most of the world celebrated April Fools’ Day for only one day, Scotland celebrated it for two.
The first day of the celebration was called “Hunt the Gowk.” A young kid would go run an errand which would eventually turn into a wild goose chase. They referred to the child as a Gowk — a cuckoo bird.
The second day was called “Tailie Day,” a day where more common pranks were played, like pinning fake tails onto each other. Scotland eventually began to celebrate April Fools’ Day for only one day. Celebrities have also participated in April Fools’ Day.
Some celebrities impersonate each other — going as far as switching locations with the other. Talk show hosts have played jokes on their audiences, such as when an audience member got to control a confetti canon. During the 2020 pandemic, celebrities still continued to play tricks, just online.
Some would call their friends and stare at the camera saying nothing, freaking out the person on the other side of the call. Though most of these pranks are harmless, some can have a negative outcome. Some people have gotten arrested for involving the police in a prank.
A woman in 2003 called her boss claiming that the store she worked at was being robbed, but before she got the chance to admit that it was a prank her boss had called the police. After she admitted to the police that it was a prank, she got arrested for inducing panic. As April Fools’ Day approaches, more people brainstorm their pranks for the year.
Whether you’re the one pulling the trick or on the receiving end, it’s all about having a good time. The question remains: what will you do this April Fools’ Day? » Marie Lychuk is a Grade 9 student at École secondaire Neelin High School. Advertisement.
