HISTORY OF APRIL FOOL

As we draw near to the beginning of April
Let me give some history about April fools day
What's the true story behind the prankster April 1 holiday?
From silly practical jokes to elaborate staged hoaxes, April 1 is the day to celebrate silliness.

Although it's not a national holiday, April Fools' Day is widely recognized as a day to play practical jokes and invent elaborate hoaxes. In other words, it celebrates foolishness.

This day of pranks and trickery has been observed for centuries, but its origins are unclear.

The most popular theory is that France altered its calendar in the 1500s so the year would begin in January to coincide with the Roman calendar. Previously, the start of the year had been recognized at the beginning of spring, around April 1.

Word of the calendar change traveled slowly though, so many people who lived in rural areas continued to celebrate the beginning of the year in spring.

As the story goes, these people were often referred to as "April fools." They were mocked by having paper fish stuck to their backs and being called "poisson d'avril," or April fish.

The fish is said to symbolize an easily caught fish, or a gullible person, and the tradition continues today

Although this is the most widely accepted explanation, Alex Boese, curator of the Museum of Hoaxes, who's studied April Fools' Day's origins, disagrees with it.

"[The French] theory is completely wrong because the day that the French celebrated the beginning of the year legally was Easter day, so it never really was associated with April 1," he told National Geographic.

Boese believes the holiday simply grew out of ancient European spring festivals of renewal, in which pranks and disguising one's identity are common.

Historians have linked April 1 to ancient festivals such as Hilaria, which Romans celebrated at the end of March by donning costumes.

So as April 1st approaches
What do you plan or who do you plan to PRANK?
Remember it falls on EASTER