April Fools’ Day

April Fools’ Day, also known as All Fools’ Day falls on April 1 every year. Other names for April Fools’ Day include April Noddy Day, Gowkie Day, Huntigowk Day and St. All-Fool’s Morn. People play practical jokes and spread hoaxes on this day. The victims of the jokes are called April fools and people who play April fool jokes expose their prank by shouting April Fool. There are several theories about the origin of April Fool’s Day custom. One of them focuses on the introduction of Julian and Gregorian calendars. In ancient times, people celebrated the New Year on or around the March Equinox. The Julian and Gregorian calendars define January 1 as the New Year Day. People who forgot about the change and observed the old rules became victims of various jokes. There are two versions of Biblical theories on April Fools’ Day. One involves Noah as the first ‘April Fool’. He mistakenly sent the dove out to find dry land before the waters subsided. The second refers to Jesus who was sent from Pontius Pilate to Herod and back again. “Sending a man from Pilate to Herod”, is an old term for sending someone on a fool’s errand.