By 12: am Thursday morning, we are all set to welcome the month of April, all sundry across the world are also preparing to play pranks on friends and family members. April 1 is celebrated as April Fool Day worldwide. This day has been celebrated for several centuries by different cultures. Some historians speculate that April Fool Day can be traced back to 1582, when France switched from the Julian calendar to the Gregorian calendar, as called for by the Council of Trent in 1563.
April Fool’s Day traditions is all about friends and associate playing pranks or cracking practical jokes on each other and screaming ‘’April Fools!” at the end of the clue.
It is believed that Pope Gregory XIII was the one to be blamed. He ruled the new calendar to start from January 1, instead of the previous celebration of the New Year at the end of March or April 1. Though, the change in the annual calendar was brought into practice by France. But across Europe, the people continued to follow the Julian calendar. And those who failed to register the use of a new date and ended up celebrating New Year in April have been marked as ‘Fools’. Hence, a particular day for fools came into existence.
The forgetful ones who celebrated New Year on April 1 were mocked on the day and had paper fish stuck on their backs, indicating that they were fools or easily hooked.
The day is celebrated with jokes and laughter and people look forward to this day as it brings joy and happiness. People can get away with almost anything on this day most especially Nigerians.
