April Fool's Day

The world is foolish enough without singling out a day to highlight the fact but hey, there's no use bucking tradition.

April Fool's Day has been observed since "time immemorial." Throughout history the day's antics have included such things as sending a friend to a local book store to fetch a copy of The Memoirs of Eve's Mother, handing out exploding cigars, attaching kite tails to men's long coat tails, and inviting friends to view a portrait of the "biggest fool in town;" the "portrait" being nothing more than a mirror.

Other April Fool's pranks have been less benign. Mischievous boys have painted rocks to resemble bread and then offered it to classmates, fraternity rats have feigned hangings in front of unsuspecting house mothers, con artists have fooled elderly and simple minded people out of life savings, and in our own era phony news stories abound on the web.

One late 19^th century writer said that "April fools are on this day as common as blackberries." Perhaps in our own day that's still true but instead of as common as the fruit they're as common as the device.

So, how did this strange custom come about? No one really knows but here are some facts and theories...

The custom has existed for millennia in most of Europe and parts of Asia. Some people muse that it began with Noah and the Great Flood and became popularized by King Solomon who spoke extensively about "the fool." One writer said pagans had no such custom as April Fool's but he noted they did worship many gods "wholly devoid of brains."

One explanation of Fool's Day is that it derived from the trials of Jesus Christ. Recall that after his capture Jesus was taken to the high priests then to Pilate then to Herod and the back to Pilate. That sending around of Jesus certainly wasn't a joke but it did come to signify giving a man the "run around."

It's possible the Romans started the custom with their observance of April 1 as the first day of Spring. During the festivities happy youngsters inevitably played tricks on one another which were repeated and improved upon year after year until April 1 became what it is today.

Finally, perhaps April Fool's Day comes from Mother Nature herself. Just when folks break out shorts and t-shirts and begin enjoying 70 and 80 degree temperatures and the trees bud and flowers bloom; bam; a Spring freeze and snowstorm breaks over like a bucket of ice water. Mother Nature laughs and says "April Fool's."

If you must partake; think first and be kind.