It’s April!
And we all know how April starts ~ with April Fools’ Day. Come on, I know you probably play some kind of joke on April 1st ~ like sending someone on an errand for something that doesn’t even exist, or playing pranks or, my favorite, trying to get people to believe ridiculous things.
April Fools!
A Boston University Professor said that April Fools’ Day began during the rein of the Roman Emperor Constantine way long ago. Professor Boskin said that a court jester told Constantine that he could do a better job at running the empire. Because court jesters were actually not fools but quite smart and put life into perspective with humor, Constantine allowed the jester to be king for a day. This jester passed an edict calling for frivolity on that day and that’s how we now celebrate April 1st as April Fools’ Day.
This made it into many newspapers far and wide in 1983 ~ only to find out that Professor Boskin was a big prankster and made the story up! Fooled you!
April Fools’ Day isn’t just celebrated here. Oh no. It’s observed throughout the Western world.
And, there are even other cultures that have days of foolishness and fun during Springtime:
- On March 25, the Romans celebrated Hilaria ~ a time of merriment and joy in honor of the Spring Goddess Cybele and the resurrection of the vegetation God Attis.
- Holi (also known as the Festival of Colors) is celebrated to this day by the Hindus in either February or March, depending on the last full Moon of the lunar month of Phalguna. It is a joyous celebration of the beginning of Spring, with lots of hugs and people painting themselves and each other with beautiful colors of powder. It really is a sight to behold.
- In the Jewish calendar, during the Lunar month of Adar (February/March), there is the celebration of Purim ~ the most festive and colorful of the Jewish holidays that recounts the Story of Esther with costumes, treats and noisemakers.
So I guess there’s something about Spring that makes us all act silly (or, for some of us, sillier). The days are getting longer, and we have more time to play outside and watch the trees change and flowers grow. It does seem like when the season changes from Winter to Spring my heart feels a lot lighter. Does yours? And isn’t that a cool way to be ~ you know, living life with a joy-filled light heart!
And how do you make light? What silly, fun things do you do to bring a smile to your face and the face of the people you love? I’d sure like to know.
The first of April, some do say
is set apart for All Fools’ Day
but why the people call it so
Nor I, nor they themselves, do know
but on this day are people sent
on purpose for pure merriment.
~ Poor Robin’s Almanac (1790)
Twitter: stacyvajta
says:
Now, who knew there was a holiday called Hilaria?! Can’t help but smile when I say that…”Hilaria!”
Darn it! You got me! I was all excited to learn the history of April Fool’s Day!!
But I suppose it’s my just desserts for nearly convincing the daughter of friends that we must save belly button lint and send it in to NASA to use to stuff space suits.
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The Romans had a celebration for everything ~ so why not celebrate being silly. It’s hilarious about Hilaria (tee hee).
Hahahahaha, belly button lint to stuff space suits! Did you read the article about how women were harvesting spaghetti? People believed it … It’s such a silly, fun day!
Twitter: msbyn
says:
OMG! I was so pulled in by the jester story! Here I was so excited to have learned the history of April Fool’s Day!
Our biggest/worst April Fool’s Day prank was a combined one that unintentionally got blown way out of proportion and upset a lot of people! My daughter, her best friend and I hinted that they were engaged. The best friend, thinking that grandma was in on it told her all the ‘made up’ details… thinking that they were both in on the joke! When it came time to spill the beans… well, no one wanted to tell grandma! She was FURIOUS!!!
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April Fool!
Oh poor Grandma and poor you having to explain to her ~ hope after the explanation, she thought it quite the April Fools’ joke. You and your family are so funny, I am sure y’all get carried away on April Fools’ Day ~ hope it was a good one. (I had to smile at your use of the phrase “spill the beans.”)
Twitter: msbyn
says:
It didn’t help that grandma had high hopes that Sprite and her bff were going to get married some day! It was a VERY thorough joke, and I SHOULD have written about it on my blog!:)
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Put this in your follow-up file to write about next year ~ it is one for the records!
I learn so much for this website! I did not know about April Fool’s Day and it’s beginning. Thanks for all the info about this wonderful foolishness of spring. And Happy Spring!
It’s really fun to learn things and then share it all. Hope any April Fools’ jokes that were played on you were fun ones that made you smile. Have a very happy Spring as well!