April Fool’s Day: A fun tradition
Every year on April 1st, people around the world celebrate April Fool’s Day. On this day, people play funny tricks on their friends and family. If someone is tricked, people call them an ‘April Fool.’
No one knows exactly how April Fool’s Day began, but there are some ideas. One idea is that it started in ancient Rome with a festival called Hiralia. During this festival, people wore costumes and played tricks on each other.
Another idea comes from France in 1582. That year, France changed from the Julian calendar to the Gregorian calendar. The Julian calendar started the new year at the end of March.
Some people kept celebrating New Year’s on April 1st, and others made fun of them. These people were called ‘April fools.’
Famous April Fool’s Day pranks
In London, some people buy tickets to see the ‘Washing of the Lions’ at the Tower of London. But this event is not real!
In France, a person who is tricked is called ‘poisson d’avril,’ which means ‘April fish.’ Because of this, French bakers make bread and chocolate in the shape of fish on this day.
One of the most famous pranks was by BBC News. They showed a story about a ‘spaghetti tree’ where farmers picked spaghetti. Many people believed it and asked the BBC where they could buy a spaghetti tree! This prank introduced the idea of ‘prankvertising.’
What is prankvertising?
Prankvertising is a mix of the words ‘prank’ and ‘advertising.’ It is a fun way for companies to advertise their products.
Studies show that prankvertising makes people feel happy about a brand and more likely to buy from it.
For example, in 2021, Ola’s co-founder Bhavish Aggarwal said that Ola was making an electric flying car called Ola Air Pro. It was only a joke, but many people talked about it!
Why is laughter important?
Laughing and joking make life better. Research shows that people who laugh a lot have:
- More confidence
- Better social skills
- Less anxiety
- Higher self-esteem
Laughter is also good for your body. It can lower blood pressure, relax your muscles, and help you make better decisions. It even helps you be more creative!
So, play some fun jokes today and enjoy April Fool’s Day!
