April Fools' Day

April Fools' Day can be a day you look forward to or one you dread - it all depends - are you the trickster or the tricked, the fool or the one who fools? April Fools' Day or All Fools' Day...is celebrated throughout the world on or near the first day of April.

Our history as a people is sometimes nothing more than "theory". Cultures throughout the world seem to have a celebration on or close to April 1^st. Some theorize this is to celebrate the coming of Spring, although this would only hold true for those not in the Southern Hemisphere as Spring for them begins in September. My mother is a gardener, and all though my plants want to start an organization for abused plants everywhere, I do know the beginning of planting season is May. At one time in history, if you planted prior to May you were called an "April Fool".

There are so many different versions as to the beginning of April Fools' Day; it would truly take the fun (or should I say torture?) out of the day to even debate about its origins. So, we can only go to the most accepted theory of the civilized world's adaptation of April Fools' Day and how it became a day for seasoned pranksters and novice beginners both to hone their trickster skills.

April 1^stwas the first day of the New Year to Ancient People. But, like many other Ancient Holidays - New Years day was changed when a Pope, Gregory XII ordered a new Gregorian Calendar to replace the old Julian calendar. Julian was out, Gregory was in. That year in 1582, France adopted the use of the new calendar. But, as with many traditions and rituals adopted and changed by the Church, many continued to celebrate the New Year on April 1^st.

Just as is done now in our society, anyone who refuses to conform or go along with the "masses" - is ostracized, ridiculed, and made out to be....a Fool. Those who held fast to their original holiday, or simply did not realize it had been changed (as they did not have television, internet and text messages to get the word out) were subject to practical jokes by the conformers. Often, they were sent on "fool's errands". As cruelty masked in entertainment seems to appeal even to the "smartest" of humans...this "fun" soon developed into an April 1^st tradition, spreading like a little cruelty disease to other parts of the world.

Poisson d'Avrilor "April Fish" on April 1^st in France will thankfully only get you a paper fish taped to your back in today's world (thank the universe for our sensitive noses!). In Scotland, "Taily Day" extends into two days and you truly should watch your behind on the second day as tricks are usually directed there. In Ireland and Scotland, tricks can be pulled on unsuspecting victims all day long, which must explain my brothers' dawn to midnight fun. In England tricks on "April Noddy Day" (Noddy is another name for Fool) are supposed to only last until noon but being the paranoid "little sister", if you have siblings, I would watch my back all day long!

For the Dutch it is said April 1^st marks a day of uprising against Spanish rule in the coastal town of Den Briel. Bril is the word for "glasses" and it was joked that because he could not stop the uprising, General Alva of the Spanish army "lost his glasses". The Dutch carried this joke on and still celebrate on April 1^st in remembrance. In Rome, the Festival Hilaria, also known as "Roman Laughing Day", is actually celebrated on March 25. Festival Hilaria celebrates the resurrection of the God Attis, much as Easter for the Christians. Resurrection celebrations tend to follow the beginning of spring, or the "resurrection" of life on earth. Iran's equal to April Fools' Day would be Sizdah Bedar which is actually celebrated on April 3. April 3 is the 13^th day of Norouz, the Persian calendar's New Year. The people play little jokes on each other and try to be outside to escape the bad luck of 13. India has the Huli Festival, where they play tricks on others and smear themselves and their friends and family with painted colors to herald in the springtime on March 31^st.

Celebrations exist in many countries, on many different dates where jokes are played on unsuspecting victims. April Fools' Day, Festival Hilaria, Sizdah Bedar, Taily Day, Huli - regardless of the tradition behind the day, or the name you give it - people choose this one day, or two for the Scottish (everything is brawnier in Scotland!) to escape the sometimes severe sobriety of life through laughter and brainless fun. April Fools' Day has somehow even escaped becoming nothing more than a money making commodity- unless of course you count the gag gift stores who may sell tools of torture to the public.

People must remember to keep their pranks "harmless" though. In our society full of rules and laws, even the simplest of "pranks" could land you in a bit of trouble. A joke or a fun trick is only fun if it makes a person laugh. April Fools Day is not the day to take revenge on others. It is supposed to be one day of the year for silly jokes, silly fun, and silly laughter.

I find it interesting that people born at this time of the year, Aries, the ones I call "Forever Children", are lovers of pranks. Nothing will get a giggle out of a child faster than if they think they have tricked you. My oldest brother, an Aries, was a prankster on any given day but on April Fools' Day...he was truly in his element. One day of the year to be exempt from punishment! What more could a kid ask for? I remember waking up and peeking cautiously out my bedroom door, prepared to tiptoe past whatever trap was laid out waiting for one of us unsuspecting victims. In a family with 7 children, you learn quickly the "rules" of April Fools' Day - open all doors slowly, DON"T sit on the toilet seat without checking it for Vaseline or glue, DO trick one of the other kids into testing your food prior to eating and watch them carefully for signs of pending death, ALWAYS keep your hair close to your head, carefully wash your toothbrush before using, have a special unopened shampoo bottle for this day, check your seat in the car, look under your bed, shake your blankets out, and BELIEVE NOTHING! And never ever trust the tricks will end at noon!

Happy April Fools' Day....will you be the Fool or the Fooled or the Fool who Fools somewhere in this World full of Fools?

Sources:

April Fools, infoplease

April Fools Day, Wiki