April Fools’ Day History

The history of April Fools’ Day is murky, but most experts agree the origins date back to 1582 in France with the reform of the calendar under Charles IX. The Gregorian Calendar was introduced in 1582, and New Year’s Day was officially moved from April 1st to January 1st. People who were slow to make the switch were often called “fools” by the general populace and were sent on “fools” errands. The butts of these pranks became known as a “poisson d’avril” or “April fish.” A common practice was to hook a paper fish on the back of someone as a joke. It has evolved over the centuries into a day full of (hopefully) harmless pranks, with its own unofficial rules. Most versions of the rules say pranks must end at noon on April 1st, and any person playing a prank after that brings bad luck on themselves.