The History of April Fool's Day
By Isona
What’s the worst April Fools prank that you have ever been victim to? No matter how bad it was,
be thankful you were not living in France during 1582, where you could get raw fish down your
back for forgetting the correct calendar. There are many reasons this unique day has become
what it is today. For example, the year France switched to the Gregorian calendar from the
previously used Julian Calendar, the Feast of Fools created by the Catholic Church, as well as it’s
origins in ancient Rome during a festival titled Hilaria.
One theory of how this day began is about a disagreement over the first day of the year.
According to History.com, In France during the year 1582 France switched from the Julian
calendar to the Gregorian calendar. Like today, the Gregorian Calendar began the year with
January first, while the Julian calendar began the year with the first day of the month we know as
April. This website claims that “the news spread very gradually in France”, causing many people
to forget and celebrate the coming of the new year around April. A common prank used to
humiliate these people were having a paper - encased fish placed on your backs. An expression
that was cried out while performing this prank, according to History.com, was “Poissond’avril”.
This means April fish and symbolizes ignorance in the people that couldn’t remember what day
the year began.
Secondly, many historians believe that the catholic church was responsible for April Fools day.
An event called the feast of fools was celebrated around the beginning of January, according to
the Washington Post. On this day, people in France and Medieval England would dress up in
costume, and bring donkeys into the Church halls. According to Encyclopedia Britannica, many
believe that it was a version of pagan festivals such as Saturnalia; a three to seven day-long
festival that took place in ancient Rome in which benevolent festivities very similar to Marti Gras
are performed through the streets. This festival was held in the honor of the Roman god Saturn,
the god of good fortune and wealth, agriculture, and generation.
Finally, another popular theory of how this unusual day came about is with a festival called
Hilaria. This celebration was, according to History. com only remarked by a certain group of
people titled the cult of Cybele. They rejoiced at the return of their leader; Cybele and her son
Attis approximately at the end of March. According to Britannica, Several days before this were
spent honoring Cybel and Attis through activities such as fasting as well as mourning.
Sometimes, Cybel and Attis can also be the Egyptian gods, Osirus, and Isis. Many historians
believe that April fools day is a variation of this festival.
To conclude, there are many theories on the origins of April Fools Day, and these are only a
few. Just please, don’t put fish on people’s backs.