April Fools’ Day: 10 Facts To Remember

“Here cometh April again, and as far as I can see the world hath more fools in it than ever.” Charles Lamb

April Fools’ Day: 10 Facts To Remember – Subway Prank

April Fools’ Day: 10 Facts To Remember – Subway Prank

Poor Robin’s Almanac, 1790
The first of April, some do say
Is set apart for All Fool’s Day;
But why the people call it so
Nor I, nor they themselves, do know,
But on this day are people sent
On purpose for pure merriment.

While April Fools’ Day was popularized in the 19th century (or 18th in the UK), its origins are somewhat vague. Historians continue to debate whether it started as early as 1392 because of a mention in Geoffrey Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales, or if it started later with the Gregorian Calender. What  we know for sure is that it is celebrated around the world and the customs around it, while different in some parts of the world, all focus on pranks and humor. For instance, the joking/pranks end at noon in the UK. After that time, the joke becomes a sign of your foolishness. Hm mm.  Nevertheless, here are 10 Facts to help you understand the genesis of this day of pranks and humor.

1. It has a writer’s touch because in 1392  Geoffrey Chaucer’s invented a Fool’s Day in The Canterbury Tales and it quickly grew popular with the aristocracy; they were the only ones who could read.

2. It has religious underpinnings  because in 1582, Pope Gregory XIII adopted the Gregorian Calendar switching the beginning of the year from the Julian Calendar starting in April to his which started in January. He did it to confuse his detractors from remembering what date he promised to step down.

3. Historians believe April Fools’ Day started with the  ancient festivals known as Hilarious. It was celebrated in Rome at the end of March and  people wore gender bender clothing to confuse others

4. April Fools’ Day was connected  to the vernal equinox/first day of spring in the Northern Hemisphere, when Mothers in ancient times  threatened to give their kids away.

  “Better a witty fool than a foolish wit.” William Shakespeare

April Fools’ Day: 10 Facts To Remember – Wash the Lions Prank

April Fools’ Day: 10 Facts To Remember – Wash the Lions Prank

A fool may be known by six things: anger without cause; speech without profit; change without progress; inquiry without object; putting trust in a stranger; and mistaking foes for friends. Arabian Proverb

Did you know that April Fools’ Day is taken seriously in parts of the world as people try to top each other with their inventiveness? In Ireland, the innocent fool is sent on errands with an “important letter’ that contains nothing of the sort but a joke. Over the years, TV stations and the general media have contributed to the hilarity of the day.

5. The first recorded prank happened on April 1 1698 when a popular paper (Dawks’s News-Letter) reported that “several persons were sent to the Tower [of London] Ditch to see the Lions washed.”  When people arrived, they found sea lions being washed instead.

6. April Fools’ Day was celebrated  in Scotland with a 2 day event/tradition called  “hunting the gowk,”  in which people dressed up as birds and hiding in bushes, they would jump out to surprise passersby with flapping wings and gawking sounds.

7. The earliest media prank was in 1957, the BBC reported that Swiss farmers  had discovered a special kind of cheese that grew on a tree. They showed footage and many people were fooled.

More Below!

“Mix a little foolishness with your prudence: It’s good to be silly at the right moment.” Horace

April Fools’ Day: 10 Facts To Remember – Bus Prank

Myra Cohn Livingston
The maple syrup’s full of ants.
A mouse is creeping on the shelf.
Is that a spider on your back?
I ate the whole pie by myself.
The kitchen sink just overflowed.
A flash flood washed away the school.
I threw your blanket in the trash.
I never lie—-I—

Over the years, shows with a surprise or humorous element have come and gone. Shows like This is Your Life, Candid Camera with Allen Funt, and Punk’ed with Ashton Kutcher, kept people riveted to their TV sets and loving every minute of the shows. There were many others that came and went mainly because of the legal ramifications of invading other people’s privacy with inane jokes.  Most of these shows gained traction from or gave inspiration to other prank moments in the media.

8. In 1985, Sports Illustrated ran a prank article about a female rookie pitcher named Sandra Finch who could throw a fastball over 188 miles per hour. They even had a picture of her.

9. In 1996, fast-food restaurant chain,Taco Bell, announced it was in discussions to buy The Statue of Liberty and would rename it – The Statue of Taco Freedom. People were riled up in NY until they learned it was an April Fools’ Day joke.

10. In 1998, Burger King advertised a “Super Dupper Whopper” that was 2 feet tall. May regulars wee stoked and lined up to order one… They soon learned it was an April Fools’ Day prank. Ha!

So on this very special, limited day of jokes and pranks, it helps to have a sense of humor.  What do you think? Do you have any to share? Happy April Fools Day!  Scroll to the bottom for some more jokes to enjoy

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APRIL FOOLS’ DAY!

Yep, you’ve been punk’ed! Do you know the right answers?  If YES, Share the right answers in the comment section. If NO, Come back later for the real answers to my 10 Facts list.  😆 😆

Positive Motivation Tip: Have a good laugh, now and again, it’s great for your health

REFERENCES: About.com, WP Daily Post TechTimes  History.com,
PHOTO CREDITS/ATTRIBUTIONS: All Photos: Lars Anderson Subway, washing the lions, triple decker bus prank, from Wikipedia.

Until Next Time…
Ask. Believe. Receive. ©
Elizabeth Obih-Frank
Mirth and Motivation
Positive Kismet