April 1 is more than just the start of a month that many embrace for the warmer weather that typically accompanies it. It is a day set aside for pranksters just waiting to pull the wool over someone else’s eyes all in the name of good fun. While many participate in April Fools’ Day shenanigans, they may not be as familiar with all there is to know about this day when jokers rejoice. These interesting facts about April Fools’ Day truly are no joke.

• The origins of April Fools’ Day are something of a mystery, but historians believe the day started in France during the sixteenth century. History.com offers the popular theory that when France switched from the Julian calendar to the Gregorian calendar, moving the New Year from the end of March to January 1, some received the news later than others. As a result, some people continued to celebrate the New Year in the spring, and were thus referred to as “April fools.”
• Another theory surrounding April Fools’ Day origins involves the ancient Roman festival of Hilaria. This festival involved masquerades and jesting to celebrate the rebirth of the god Attis.
• The French call April Fools’ Day “Poisson d’ Avril,” which translates to “April Fish.” It’s customary to place a paper fish on a person’s back without them noticing.
• In some countries, such as Australia, Canada and parts of the United Kingdom, April Fools’ Day pranks must be completed by noon; if not, the prankster becomes the fool. Those in the United States, Germany and Japan engage in pranks the entire day. In Scotland, the fun stretches into April 2, which is known as “Taily Day,” and involve pranks exclusive to the posterior region of the body.
• April Fools’ Day gradually spread around the world due to European influence and colonization during the eighteenth century.
• April Fools’ Day is an opportunity for people to embrace their creative side. Even the media and businesses sometimes get in on the action. Fake stories and sneaky endeavors can create wild tales that spread. In 1957, the BBC broadcast a story about a spaghetti harvest that took place in Switzerland. In 1974, a local logger named Oliver Bickar created a hoax where he made it seem the dormant volcano Mount Edgecumbe in Alaska was about to erupt. He deposited 70 tires into the volcano by helicopter and lit them on fire. Another prank insinuated that Taco Bell purchased the Liberty Bell and renamed it the “Taco Liberty Bell.”
• Google often engages in April Fools’ Day jokes. The company has fooled people with everything from a search engine for smells to “Google Tulip,” which ostensibly enabled users to communicate with plants.
• The famous comic strip “Peanuts” actually featured a character named April Fool, who would play pranks on his friends.

April Fools’ Day is an entertaining opportunity to get one over on an unsuspecting person. However, it’s important to prank responsibly and avoid jokes that can cause panic or emergency situations.