Maya Cotton

April Fool’s Day supposedly began around the year 1583 in France. This is when the king ordered to have the calendar changed, and New Years was celebrated on January 1 instead of April 1. In the 1500’s, news traveled very slowly, and some were not informed of the change. People who celebrated on April 1 were labeled fools by the rest of the community. Everyone played pranks on the fools. Pranks continued and eventually spread into other places such as Britain and Scotland. Later, it was brought into the American colonies. The French place paper fish on the back of their friends, because April ends the zodiac’s fish sign. In Rome, April Fool’s Day is on March 25 and is called the Roman Laughing Day. In Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom, anyone who plays a joke after midday is a fool. In Portugal, people throw flour at their friends. In India, people rub colors onto each other to celebrate spring. In Hispanic countries, the Day of the Holy Innocents takes place on December 28. The participants tape paper cut outs on their friends’ backs.