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OVERVIEW OF APRIL FOOLS DAY
April Fool's Day or All Fools' Day, though not a holiday in its own right, is a notable day celebrated in many countries on April 1. The day is marked by the commission of hoaxes and other practical jokes of varying sophistication, the aim of which is to embarrass the gullible. "April 1st: This is the day upon which we are reminded of what we are on the other three-hundred and sixty-four." — Mark Twain
Traditionally, pranks are supposed to be performed before noon. Those done afterwards are supposed to bring bad luck to the perpetrator. This limitation is not, however, universally adhered to since it is believed to have been contrived by annoyed parents and school teachers wanting a respite from the day of pranks, as well as since many of the hoaxes listed below first appeared after noon. Anyone who fails to respond in the proper spirit of tolerance and amusement to the tricks played on them is also said to be liable to suffer bad luck. It is (unreliably) said that being fooled by a pretty girl will be compensated by marriage to, or at least friendship with her.
Another superstition is that marriage on April Fools' Day is not a good idea for a man, for he will be permanently ruled by his wife. It is furthermore believed that children born on this day will experience good luck in most matters, but will only meet with disaster when it comes to gambling.
HISTORY OF APRIL FOOLS DAY
The origin of April Fool's day is not entirely clear, but it is generally accepted to have stemmed from the changes in the calendar system [1]. The New Year celebrations used to begin on 25 March and last for a week, hence ending on 1 April. In 1582, King Charles IX of France brought in the new Gregorian calendar, in which the new year began on 1 January. Unfortunately, some people did not hear of the change, and others simply refused to break the tradition. These people became the object of so-called 'fool's errands' and tests of gullibility.
Present day
The Internet makes it more difficult to know what time it was when a potential hoax was perpetrated. Time zones are different in different parts of the world; it is actually the first of April from 0000 -1200 1 April until 2359 +1400 1 April, a period of 49 hours. Those unfamiliar with the April Fool's Day custom may be vulnerable to Internet hoaxes.
Many media organizations have either unwittingly or deliberately propagated hoaxes on April Fools' Day. Even normally serious news media consider April Fools' Day hoaxes fair game, and spotting them has become an annual pastime. The advent of the Internet as a worldwide communications medium has also assisted the pranksters in their work.
APRIL FOOLS DAY TRIVIA
The French prank day is also April 1. The tradition of the poisson d'avril (literally "April fish") is for people to attempt to attach a paper fish to their chosen victim's back without them noticing.
In the Spanish speaking world, similar pranks are practiced on December 28, the Day of the Holy Innocents. This custom also exists in certain areas of Belgium, including the province of Antwerp (which is situated in Flanders). The tradition is that children lock out their parents or teachers, only letting them in again if they promise to bring treats the same evening or the next day.
In Iran, people play jokes on each other on the 13th day of the new year (Norooz). This day is called "Sizdah bedar" (Out-door thirteen), and it is April 3 (13th of Farvardin in Persian calendar). It is believed that people should go out on this date in order to escape the bad luck of number 13.
In Judaism, the traditional day of pranks, hoaxes and mockery is Purim. However, modern Jews prefer to play pranks on April Fools' day.
Source: The English Wikipedia
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