A is for April Fools’ Day

It is the first day of the A to Z Challenge. Arlee Bird started this blogathon and what stated out as a few hundred bloggers has now reached over a thousand! Join in and hop to the different blogs. meet new people, expand your knowledge, but most of all have fun! 

April Fools' Day: Origin and History

April Fools’ Day or All Fools’ Day origin is uncertain. Some have claimed it is a light-hearted day to celebrate the turn of the seasons, while others claim it was the adoption of a new calendar. Pope Gregory XIII ordered the new Gregorian Calendar to replace the Julian Calendar. The New calendar state Jan. 1st as the New Year and not April 1st. However, news traveled slowly in 1582 and there were those who had not heard of the calendar change and continued to celebrate New Years in April. These people were considered the ‘fools’.

An Historian's Prank

Another explanation of April Fools’ Day is during the reign of Constantine that was provided by Joseph Boskin, a professor of history at Boston University. Constantine’s court jesters and fools told him that they could do a better job than he could do in running the empire. Constantine was amused and allowed Kugel, a jester to be king for one day. Sounds like a great explanation… However, Boskin later claimed he made the whole explanation up. What a great April Fools’ Day joke on historians!

April Fools' Day Today

April Fools’ Day today is looking for things that don’t exist and playing them off as if they do. Playing pranks, and trying to make people believe the ridiculous, are all done in fun.

Share one of your April Fools’ Day pranks…if you dare.

Here's the list to the other A to Z Challenge participants.

*April Fool picture is from Design Graphics