April Fools’ Day

Today is 1st April, which is a special day in the UK. It’s April Fools’ Day. 

Loved by youngsters and pranksters across the country, April Fools’ Day is an annual event where people play practical jokes on each other until midday. After a jokester has played their joke, they often shout “April Fools”. In the UK, the pranks must be played before noon, otherwise the jokester themselves becomes the April Fool. 

April Fools can range from silly jokes that kids play on their parents or friends to more elaborate jokes, such as companies posting “news-breaking stories” on their socials, only to claim “April Fools” a few hours later. 

The exact history of April Fools’ Day and why we celebrate it is a much debated topic amongst historians. Many claim it originated in France after Charles IX enforced a change of the New Year from Easter to 1st January but other stories have also arisen and the true history of the day is still uncertain. 

Did you fall for any April Fools Day jokes today?