With April just around the corner, it seems only appropriate to understand the origins of the pesky little brother of holidays– April Fools’. Also known as All Fools’ Day, this holiday’s roots have been speculated upon by many a historian. While it is true that the exact origins are unknown, the holiday can generally be dated back to 1500s France.
One possible theory on the birth of April Fools’ begins in 1582 France. In 1582, France switched from the Julian calendar to the Gregorian calendar. In doing so, New Year’s Day was moved from April 1st to January 1st. When this change was made by the Council of Trent, many people were unaware of the switch. These unfortunate folks became the laughing stocks of the 16th century. A common occurrence at this time during the last week of March was to place paper fish known as “poisson d’avril” on people’s backs to symbolize their foolishness. Although this theory is the most entertaining, it is not the only one.
The Vernal or Spring Equinox, which falls in late March, has been linked to the emergence of April Fools’. Historians hypothesized this idea because the Equinox is when the weather changes and becomes unpredictable. Therefore, people are ‘fooled’ by nature. Also, around the Equinox, the festival Hilaria occurred in ancient Rome. This festival celebrated resurrection and involved people fooling others by dressing up in disguises and costumes.
Much later, in the 18th century, April Fools’ traditions were seen in Scotland. The beginnings of All Fools’ Day in Scotland was a two-day celebration. The first day entailed ‘hunting the cuckoo bird,’ which was when people were tricked into going on fake errands or wild goose chases. The second day was Tailie day, when people put fake tails on others as a prank.
Whatever the case may be, April Fools’ has become an annual holiday loved (and hated) by all. To this day, historians don’t know the true origin of All Fools’ Day, but it can be said for sure the the legacy possibly created in the 1500s has continued on with force.