April Fool's Day: Facts And Figures Behind This Celebration

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April Fool's day is such a popular phenomenon that no one knows about its origin and why it is celebrated. Origins of the April Fools day is not clear as it has been observed since centuries back in time. Also called All Fools Day, it is known to be stir up the prankster inside you to action and get him going. April Fools day has myriad tales or legends that prove it existed from times of yore.

It is actually meant for celebrating this day through practical jokes, and pranks. Although it is not a declared holiday people get ready for this day by planning pranks ahead on their loved ones. United States has been extensively celebrating April Fools day from past two centuries. So Fools day has a long history !Some facts are presented here to keep you better informed about this day.

1. As per a Roman myth, God Pluto abducted Proserpina which made her mother Ceres frantically search for her. She could not find her daughter as she had been hidden from view in the underworld. So this wasteful job or what is called Fools errands meant that this job was impossible to carry out or accomplish. Hence this inspired the concept of April Fools Day.

2. Swedens TV channel which aired only black and white programs decided to celebrate April Fools day by announcing that the viewers would be able to watch their channel in colour if they pulled over a nylon stocking over the TV set. People followed and got fooled and named this day as April Fools day. Meanwhile, ancient Hindus have Holi to celebrated the transition of seasons from winter to spring.

3. The French have a tradition of sticking a paper fish on each other's back and then shouting April Fish in French. This indicates that this person is easily caught.
4. April Fools as per some historical calculations, must have started in 1500s.
5. As per some inferences, April Fools must have started in Spring as mother nature fools the people by changing the weather in a blink.
6. During 1957, a man in a BBC aired program, said that Sphagetti grew from trees. This was the best prank pulled on people in public.
7. British folklore describes a legend. There was a king who, once placing his foot upon a place, would call it his property. King John wanted to establish Gotham town under his jurisdiction and so he set out to Gotham. People there, thought of a plan and acted accordingly . When John arrived on the scene, all he saw was a place full of fools who were seen doing foolish and mad activities and so King John inferred that it was a waste of energy trying to rule fools. So he left the place without saying anything. So People of Gotham decided to celebrate this day by calling it an April Fool;s day.
8. As per Boskin, a history professor in Boston University, the king Constantine had a band of jestors in court who on one day, proposed to the emperor that he could rule his kingdom bette than him. This was announced as April Fools Day.
9. Scotlanders celebrate April Fool's day for two days at a stretch.
10. It's also known as 'April Gowk', in which Gowk means the Cuckoo.
11. The Fools day in Rome was called Hilaria on which day, the Romans used to play practical jokes on each other.
12. Many also suggest that people might have come to observe All Fools Day around this time because of the vernal equinox (March 21), when the weather tends to show sudden changes and people get fooled by it.
13. The earliest recorded pranks, can be found in Chaucer's Canterbury Tales written in 1392.
14. In the Nordic Countries News outlets would publish one fake news on April Fool's day.
15. In the United States, while the pranks are carried out the entire day, the other countries stop it at noon time as they fear it would spell illluck.
16. A Joker, a Court Jester, and a Jokester are the images for the April Fool's Day.
17. Spain, Hispanic America, and the Philippines celebrate the Holy Innocents Day which is similar to April Fool's Day.
18. April Fools' Day is not a declared holiday. But still it is celebrated in most countries.