April Fools Day, the Perfect Excuse to Get Your Prank On!
14 March 2023Apart from the many types of holidays in the Philippines, we also celebrate famous holidays from the western world.
On April 1st, people all around the globe get together to joke and have a good time in honor of April Fools' Day. There are many jokes, pranks, unexpected events, and even spam messages happening on this day, it becomes the best chance to show off your creative sides. On April 1st, there is a strong emphasis on letting loose and enjoying oneself, whether by playing a practical joke or just laughing at the antics of others.
Celebrating pranks and practical jokes on April 1 has been a tradition in many countries for millennia, but its roots are unclear.
Have you become a victim of eating a portion of exotic food disguised as a Philippines traditional food? Playing practical pranks or hoaxes on other people is a common April 1 custom, as is exclaiming "April Fools!" at the conclusion to let the target of the joke in on the humor.
Even though its origins are clouded in obscurity, the widespread acceptance of April Fools' Day pranks by the media and large corporations has secured the holiday's continued existence.
Who started April Fools Day?
A change from the Julian calendar to the Gregorian calendar in France in 1582, as ordered by the Council of Trent in 1563, is said by some historians to be the origin of April 1 as we know it today. The day that marks the start of a new year in the Julian Calendar., like in the Hindu calendar, occurred on or around the spring equinox, which is on the 1st of April every year.
Those who didn't know or didn't care that the new year began on January 1 and nonetheless celebrated it the final week of March through April 1 were the targets of jokes and pranks, earning them the moniker "April fools." One such prank included the victim being called a "poisson d'avril" (April fish), a reference to a juvenile, easily caught fish that is also a metaphor for a naive person. The target of the April Fools Day prank would then have a paper fish attached to their back.
But as we mentioned, there are other speculated origins to which April Fool came from. Let's discover some of them from this article:
Hilaria in Ancient Rome
Hilaria, which is a Latin word meaning "joyful," was a holiday held towards the end of March in ancient Rome by devotees of the religion of Cybele, and its connection with April 1st has been suggested by historians. It was supposed to have been inspired by the Egyptian myth of Isis, Osiris, and Seth and entailed individuals dressing up in disguises and making fun of their neighbors and even the judges.
The vernal equinox and its connection to April Fools Day celebrations
Others believe that the first day of spring, or the vernal equinox, on which the Northern Hemisphere begins to see daylight longer than the Southern, is the origin of April 1 as a day to playing practical jokes.
Tracing the Evolution of April Fools Day
Historians can't agree on a single theory for what started it all, but here are a few of the most popular ones.
1392
The April Fool's Day has been speculated to be traced back to Geoffrey Chaucer's "The Canterbury Tales," a collection of stories written in 1392. A whole controversy about the significance of the date "March 32" stems from a single phrase in this book. As there is not much more to go on and it is from such an early age, its meaning is unclear. The start of this yearly custom has been seen as a jest by some, while others have said it is nothing more than a typo.
1564
For some, the tradition of playing jokes on others on April 1st began in France in the 16th century. Prior to France's official adoption of the present Gregorian calendar in 1564, most European cities celebrated New Year's Day on 25 March. This changed when the calendar shifted to January 1. Folklore has it that some people were slow to catch on to the fact that New Year had been shifted, and that those who had already embraced the new calendar played jokes on the "fools" who still celebrated New Year in March.
1592
The Gregorian calendar, the one most of the world uses today, was established by Pope Gregory the 8th, who devised a new system for keeping track of the days. Obviously, it took some time for everyone to realize that he had changed the date of New Year's Eve. People who continued to rejoice on April 1 despite the passage of time were laughed upon as fools.
1700s
In the 18th century, Britain became a major center for the celebration of April 1st jokes. The United Kingdom finally joins in on the fun, and April Fools' Day becomes a national phenomenon in most European towns.
Modern Day
Now more than ever, modern-day April Fools' Day pranksters spare no expense or effort in creating their intricate schemes. On April 1, several media outlets (including newspapers, radio, and television stations, and websites) will report on ridiculous, made-up stories in an effort to trick their readers and viewers. Still remember the famous Liberty Bell of Taco Bell?
How People Celebrate April Fools Day Around the World
There are various ways in which the western world is playing pranks during April Fools. Here are some of them:
April 1
Poisson d’Avril of France
The same as April 1st, but called "April Fish" because of the traditional prank in which they attach a paper fish to a person's back on that day.
Huntigowk Day of Scotland
In Scotland, the celebration has expanded into two days, with the first day dedicated to "hunting the gowk," in which participants are sent on phony errands (gowk is a word for cuckoo bird, a symbol for a foolish person).
April 2
Tailie Day of Scotland
The second day of April Fools in Scotland is dedicated to pranks involving the posterior region, such as pinning fake tails or "kick me" signs on unsuspecting participants.
May 1
Maj-kat of Denmark
One month after April Fools' Day, on May 1st, is another festival in Denmark with the same purpose: to play common prank and play tricks.
December 28
Childermas of Spain
As with April Fool's Day, the festival has come a long way from its morbid roots to become a widely appreciated event.
When it comes to secular celebrations in the West, April 1st is up there with the best of them. To this day, major news outlets still fool their readers, much as children prank their parents and coworkers prank one other.
Fun as it may be, we know that Fooles Holy Day must not be applied when it comes to your house and lot in the Philippines investment.
That's why in order to avoid scams or get fooled this April Fools Day, make sure to only invest in an affordable house and lot for sale to trusted developers and legit real estate agents.
Don't be fooled this April 1st by getting an affordable house and lot from one of the top leading community builders in the country, Lumina Homes. Guarantee your future and foolproof your hard-earned money with a dream home investment with us!
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