April Fool!

TODAY is April 1, and the articles on the NBC going commercial, and the millions rolling in for Namibian football, are – fortunately or unfortunately – only April Fool’s jokes.

April Fools’ Day, sometimes called All Fools’ Day, is one of the most light-hearted days of the year. It is celebrated in many countries on April 1 and is marked by hoaxes or practical jokes, or sending someone on a fool’s errand. Traditionally, in some countries, such as the UK, Australia and South Africa, the jokes only last until noon, and someone who plays a trick after noon is called an ‘April Fool’.The day’s origins are uncertain. Some see it as a celebration related to the turn of the seasons, while others believe it stems from the adoption of a new calendar. Wikipedia notes that the earliest recorded association between April 1 and foolishness can be found in Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales (1392). Many writers suggest that the restoration of January 1 as New Year’s Day in the 16th century was responsible for the creation of the [April Fool] holiday – until then, New Year was celebrated in March or April 1 in many countries.

TODAY is April 1, and the articles on the NBC going commercial, and the millions rolling in for Namibian football, are – fortunately or unfortunately – only April Fool’s jokes.

April Fools’ Day, sometimes called All Fools’ Day, is one of the most light-hearted days of the year. It is celebrated in many countries on April 1 and is marked by hoaxes or practical jokes, or sending someone on a fool’s errand. Traditionally, in some countries, such as the UK, Australia and South Africa, the jokes only last until noon, and someone who plays a trick after noon is called an ‘April Fool’.The day’s origins are uncertain. Some see it as a celebration related to the turn of the seasons, while others believe it stems from the adoption of a new calendar. Wikipedia notes that the earliest recorded association between April 1 and foolishness can be found in Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales (1392). Many writers suggest that the restoration of January 1 as New Year’s Day in the 16th century was responsible for the creation of the [April Fool] holiday – until then, New Year was celebrated in March or April 1 in many countries.

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