NO ADULTS ALLOWED

April Fool’s Day

On the first of April, everyone plays prank for seemingly no apparent reason. Normally, this is where I would explain where April Fool’s came from, but no one really knows.

There are several prevailing theories. The first, and most common, is from France in 1582 when they switched from the Julian calendar to the Gregorian calendar.

The Julian calendar was used in Rome, it was purposed by Julius Caesar. The Gregorian calendar was named after Pope Gregory XIII. This calendar created leap year. Every year that is divisible by four is a leap year. The reason for the change was to stop the drift of the calendar in regards to the equinoxes (remember those from last week? The first day of every season). This makes it so that the 21st of December is always the beginning of winter.

When France switched calendars not everyone was paying attention. Some people still continued to ring in the new year in April. This made them the original April fools.

Some of the jokes that were played on these poor, unsuspecting individuals was having a paper fish placed on their back. It was supposed to symbolize a young, easily caught fish, or a gullible person.

Another theory is the ancient Roman festival of Hilaria which was celebrated at the end of March. People would dress up in disguises, which was supposed to celebrate the renewal of life on earth and the goddess Cybele.

Another theory is that the unpredictable pranks were started to symbolize the unpredictable weather.

– LAUREN MURPHY of No Adults Allowed