History of April Fools (How It Started)

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We all know and love the fun day of April Fools, It’s nice when you finally have an excuse to prank your friends/siblings/family, but how did it all begin, and what kind of person would create a holiday about pranking people?

The exact origins are just as mysterious as the holiday, but there are multiple theories and myths about how this tradition began. These theories start all the way back in Roman times when a fun holiday named “Hilari” took place. Though it was celebrated on March 25 it was also known as “The Eight Calends of April,” which connects it with April 1st because of the Calends. The Romans called the start of every month “Calends” which signified the start of a new lunar phase, this explains the holiday’s unusual nickname, but nobody knows for sure if this is really how it started off.

Another common occurrence about April Fools’ Day is that it allegedly started during the reign of Emperor Constantine and sounds way more believable. During his ruling, he had a group of jesters who were able to win the king over and he agreed to let one of them rule his kingdom but only for 24 hours. The jester “Kugel” was picked and decided that he would make it a day of cheer, and this created the iconic day called April Fools’ Day.

 

Which one of these theories do you think really was the origin of April Fools Day and do you think we’ll ever really be able to uncover the real truth behind it? Make sure you keep your guard up this upcoming “April Fools” and don’t get pranked!