April Fools' Day, or All Fools' Day , is the first day of April.It is traditional day for playing pranks on unsuspecting people. In many countries, including the United States , it is the custom on this day to play tricks on people. A favorite joke is to send someone on a fool's errand, a search for something that does not exist. In the United States , the victim is called an April Fool.





No one knows where the April Fools' custom began. The origin uncertain but may be related to arrival of spring in late March, when nature is said to "fool" humanity with changes in weather; another explanation has to do with the change to the Gregorian calendar in 1582, which moved New Year's Day to Jan. 1; those who were unaware of the change or too conservative to break tradition celebrated on April 1, the last day of the old 8-day New Year's festival; tradition in France (where victim is called "April fish") and Great Britain; introduced into America in colonial times; favorite gags include sending someone on impossible errand and running harmless fibs in the media; when person grows confused or realizes he is being tricked, the joker calls out "April Fool!"; in France, people stick cutout paper fish on another's back or send them anonymously in the mail.
But some historians believe it may have started in France . There, the old New Year's festival was observed from March 25 to April 1 and ended with an exchange of gifts. In the mid-1560's, King Charles IX changed the New Year to January 1. People who still celebrated the New Year in April were called April fish and sent mock presents. April Fools' Day may be related to the ancient Roman spring festival Hilaria, which celebrates the resurrection of the god Attis.