Of all the legal holidays throughout the year, there is none so popular and as international and cross-cultural as the prank filled, poorly recognized, April Fool’s Day. While the details may vary from a country to another, no matter where you are in the world, you pretty much can start planning your smart pranks for April 1st!
Although the English take pride in the first mention of this informal holiday (as April’s Fool was first mentioned in  Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales in 1392), the number of countries celebrating it is overwhelming. You’ve got your English speaking crowd – UK, US, Canada, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, your chic France, Asian countries such as Japan, Brazil on the South American continent, Romania and Russia in Eastern Europe, along with many other countries on the Western side of the Old continent.
Unless it’s a big religious celebration, such as Christmas, it doesn’t get more international than that! And unlike religious holidays, April’s Fool is definitely more inclusive – age, sex, race and religion are irrelevant, what matters is how good of a prankster you are! But before planning your pranks, find out what the custom is where you are. In some countries, such as New Zealand, the UK, Australia, and South Africa, joking time ends of noon. If you pull a prank after the designated deadline, you become the fool!
News papers, big companies, TV stations, work buddies, fellow travelers, friends and families, everyone wants to celebrate April’s Fool. Sometimes it’s hard to tell if you’re dealing with a prank or you’re facing the real deal, but all shall be revealed by the end of the day. Of course, some of the jokes played on you might be cruel rather than fun and amusing, but in most cases, we go through April’s Fool just fine! If you need some inspiration for your pranks, try the Museum of Hoaxes, to see which were the best April’s Fool hoaxes ever.
So what are your plans? Are you going to celebrate April’s Fool tomorrow? If you could choose anyone in the world, who would be the target of your prank?
By Amey MyersAmey, an intrepid traveler and avid blogger, roams the world, absorbing diverse cultures, flavors, and experiences. Her writing captures the essence of her adventures, inspiring others to explore. Amey's infectious passion for travel and storytelling epitomizes a life filled with exploration and adventure.
