WHERE DID APRIL FOOLS DAY COME FROM?
There are many pranks and
untrue possibilities, here are three of the real historical stories:
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Originally, New Year's Day was April 1. Later, when the
Church changed the calendar, they also changed the date for the first of
the year. However, some people continued using April 1 as the date of
the new year. These people were referred to as "April
Fools"
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OR In the early Roman calendar, April 1 was the first
day of spring, the spring equinox, and before 154 B.C. it was New Years
Day. Many celebrations of many cultures observed this day as the coming
of the renewal of the earth and life. There would be sacrifices and
gifts given to the gods. When the Christians came into power in the
Roman empire, they created a celebration we call Easter that replaced
the spring rituals. The old celebrations were ridiculed and made fun of.
And people who observed these celebrations were persecuted. This was a
chance to make fun of those who do not follow the correct beliefs. This
is were we get April Fools Day, where we can make anyone feel foolish.
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OR in 1564, King Charles IX decreed that with the
adoption of the Gregorian calendar, New Year's be moved to January 1
from what was April 1 and those that celebrated the Old New Year's Day
on April 1 were Fools.
North Americans play on this day with pranks and practical
jokes. Springing tricks on family and friends, then shouting out "April
Fools!" to the astonishment of the victim.
In France today, April first is called "Poisson d'Avril."
French children fool their friends by taping a paper fish to their friends'
backs. When the "young fool" discovers this trick, the prankster
yells "Poisson d’Avril!" (April Fish!)
Some practical jokes are kept up the whole day before the
victim realizes what has happened to them. Most April Fool jokes are in good fun and
not meant to harm anyone. The most clever April Fool joke is the one where
everyone laughs, especially the person upon whom the joke is played.
Some popular pranks:
- Replacing salt in the sugar bowl at breakfast. Putting orange juice in the milk carton. Turning all their socks inside out the night before. With brown crayon drawing brown streaks in their underwear.
- Attaching a small piece of tape to the bottom of the mouse so it does not work. Disconnecting speakers. Change default hardware for speaker settings.
- More advanced: In Windows Go to Start Programs > Control Panel > Mouse and swap the button controls
- Setting the alarm clock ahead one hour and allowing the victim to think they have slept in. or setting the clock to be early by a couple of hours.
- More Advanced: Turing off the power to the house/apartment at the electrical breaker box.
- Beware! Many websites are plotting, even now, to hoax you. Check out the links on the right side. And here is something to share with your family and friends.
- Hit print screen and it copies a picture into a photo program - I used MS Paint. Paste the picture and save it as a bitmap into their My Picture folder. Then go to the desktop settings and set that picture as their wallpaper. On the desktop create a folder and drag the toolbar and the icons in a folder. Now when they sit down at the computer they can't get any of their icons or shortcuts to work (because it's just a picture of them) - it'll keep them busy for hours - you can even rotate the picture so their desktop is upside down.
- Computer pranks are the best in this day and age! Check out Robrob8's Free Computer Pranks and be the Prankster this time around! Visit Robrob8's Pranks Here.
Send me a message about how you celebrated April Fools Day and the pranks that you played from the form on this page. Thanks.
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Great On-Line Pranks, Stories & Stuff:
Be A Prankster This Year! Check Out Robrob8's Great Free
Computer Pranks Here!
April Fools' Day Greeting Cards, Ecards
From 123Greetings.com
Free
E-Cards Online
April Fool's Day Cards Collection "It is better to be
the prankster in all things!" Robrob8
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