April Fool’s Day In Europe
If you see footage of a spotted elephant, check your calendar because chances are it is April Fool’s! Celebrated annually on April 1st, April Fool’s Day, also known as All Fool’s Day, is a day for tricks, pranks and jokes galore.
Although it’s not an officially recognised holiday anywhere in the world, April Fool’s Day is known all around the globe as a day packed with practical jokes and pranks. You may want to be a little more cautious on April 1st, since those near and dear, or even big-name companies may try to tickle your funny bone with a hoax or a practical joke of some form!
So where did this tradition of silliness begin? In essence, it remains a mystery; however, there are many theories about how and where April Fool’s Day started.
How We Celebrate April Fool’s Day Around Europe
United Kingdom
During April Fool’s Day, it’s the custom in the UK to play a trick or a joke on someone. If the person falls for the prank, then they are called an ‘April Fool’. In fact, it’s only half a day because April Fool’s Day finishes at midday.
France
In France, the day is known as ‘Poisson d’Avril’ or ‘April Fish’. It is a day when people of all generations try to fix paper fish onto the back of unwary victims, who will then walk around with a paper fish on their backs unknowingly. Similar to the UK, it is a day for pranks and jokes. When the trick is discovered, the prankster calls out “Poisson d’Avril.”
Germany
Germany sees an April Fool’s day similar to the UK. However, the pranks tend to revolve around the telling of tall tales and involves the media. The oldest April Fools’ joke in a German newspaper was published in 1774. It was an absurd piece of advice on how to breed multi-coloured hens! In Germany, April Fool’s Day jokes can occur all day long on April 1st, whereas in the UK, they are traditionally only played before midday.
Sweden
April Fool’s Day also has a fish connection in Sweden. Typically, the practical joke should be played before noon, and if the prankster succeeds, they call out in Swedish “April, April, du dumma sill, jag får dig narrad vart jag vill!” (April, April, you silly herring! I can fool you to go wherever I want!). The aim is to trick someone to go to a place on a false errand.
Notable April 1st Hoaxes
Spaghetti Crops
In 1957, the British Broadcasting Company (BBC) news show Panorama announced that Swiss farmers were harvesting a record spaghetti crop thanks to the elimination of the spaghetti weevil. News footage showed Swiss farmers pulling spaghetti from trees. Thousands of viewers believed the elaborate stunt. The BBC reported receiving many calls inquiring how to grow spaghetti trees!
Left-Handed Burger
In 1998, Burger King advertised in USA Today launching its new “Left-Handed Whopper,” which was created for left-handed burger lovers by rotating all condiments precisely 180 degrees. Burger King confessed the hoax the next day though revealed in the meantime thousands of customers had requested the new burger at their restaurants!
Rubbish Solution
In 2011, the London newspaper, Metro, came up with an innovative idea to solve the problem of litter on the underground (unfortunately it was only a joke). They said that the newspaper was now edible – ‘the only paper that you can eat after reading’ and even had a light vanilla scent. A photo gallery was compiled of commuters taking a bite!
The Changing Face of Jokes
Needless to say, since the rise of social media, cunning April Fool’s jokes can readily go viral. Family and friends can easily be fooled with an announcement on social media within minutes, perhaps you are moving across the globe or got a new fictitious job!
From the 17th Century to modern day, one thing is for sure, humour and fooling others will never cease to lose its popularity.
