Celebrating Humor on April Fools Day

April 1st: This is the day upon which we are reminded of what we are on the other three-hundred and sixty-four.
– Mark Twain 

April Fool's Day is the perfect way to kick off National Humor Month. April Fool's Day it is the day for playing hoaxes and practical jokes of varied sophistication on others. The aim of which is to bring embarrassment to the gullible. Although it is not officially considered a holiday, April Fool's Day is a notable day that is celebrated in many countries on April 1.

The origin of April Fool's day is not clearly known, but it is generally believed to have come about as a result to the changes in the calendar system. The New Year celebrations used to begin on March 25 and last for a week, ending on April 1. In 1582, King Charles IX of France brought in the new Gregorian calendar, in which the new year began on January 1. Unfortunately, some people did not hear about the change, and many others simply refused to break the tradition. These "April fools" became the object of practical jokes and tests of gullibility.

Superstition has it that the practical jokes are meant to be played before noon, and that those that are performed afterwards will bring bad luck to the perpetrator. This limitation is widely losing its value as a superstition as it may have been conspired up by annoyed parents and school teachers who were wanting a respite from the day of pranks. Besides, some of the major hoaxes throughout history have appeared after noon.

Another superstition is that anyone who fails to respond in the proper spirit of tolerance and amusement to the jokes played on them is also said to be liable to suffer from bad luck. Weaker sources indicated that being fooled by a pretty girl will be accompanied by marriage, or at least friendship with her. Speaking of relationships, some people believe that being married on April Fools' Day is not a good idea for a man, and that he will be ruled by his wife forever in the future.

Remember that not everybody will find your prank funny. So prepare yourself to be pranked in return otherwise you may be the next April Fool!