All Fools Day

April Fools' Day, sometimes called All Fools' Day, is one of the most light-hearted days of the year. Its 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.

New Year's Day Moves

Ancient cultures, including those of the Romans and Hindus, celebrated New Year's Day on or around April 1. It closely follows the vernal equinox (March 20th or March 21st.) In medieval times, much of Europe celebrated March 25, the Feast of Annunciation, as the beginning of the new year.

In 1582, Pope Gregory XIII ordered a new calendar (the Gregorian Calendar) to replace the old Julian Calendar. The new calendar called for New Year's Day to be celebrated Jan. 1.

That year, France adopted the reformed calendar and shifted New Year's day to Jan. 1.


According to a popular explanation, many people either refused to accept the new date, or did not learn about it, and continued to celebrate New Year's Day on April 1. Other people began to make fun of these traditionalists, sending them on "fool's errands" or trying to trick them into believing something false. Eventually, the practice spread throughout Europe.

Problems With This Explanation

There are at least two difficulties with this explanation. The first is that it doesn't fully account for the spread of April Fools' Day to other European countries. The Gregorian calendar was not adopted by England until 1752, for example, but April Fools' Day was already well established there by that point. The second is that we have no direct historical evidence for this explanation, only conjecture, and that conjecture appears to have been made more recently.

Constantine and Kugel

Another explanation of the origins of April Fools' Day was provided by Joseph Boskin, a professor of history at Boston University. He explained that the practice began during the reign of Constantine, when a group of court jesters and fools told the Roman emperor that they could do a better job of running the empire. Constantine, amused, allowed a jester named Kugel to be king for one day. Kugel passed an edict calling for absurdity on that day, and the custom became an annual event.

"In a way," explained Prof. Boskin, "it was a very serious day. In those times fools were really wise men. It was the role of jesters to put things in perspective with humor."

This explanation was brought to the public's attention in an Associated Press article printed by many newspapers in 1983. There was only one catch: Boskin made the whole thing up. It took a couple of weeks for the AP to realize that they'd been victims of an April Fools' joke themselves.

Spring Fever

It is worth noting that many different cultures have had days of foolishness around the start of April, give or take a couple of weeks. The Romans had a festival named Hilaria on March 25, rejoicing in the resurrection of Attis. The Hindu calendar has Holi, and the Jewish calendar has Purim. Perhaps there's something about the time of year, with its turn from winter to spring, that lends itself to lighthearted celebrations.

Observances Around the World

April Fools' Day is observed throughout the Western world. Practices include sending someone on a "fool's errand," looking for things that don't exist; playing pranks; and trying to get people to believe ridiculous things.

The French call April 1 Poisson d'Avril, or "April Fish." French children sometimes tape a picture of a fish on the back of their schoolmates, crying "Poisson d'Avril" when the prank is discovered. [read more]

National Stress Awareness Month

You may not appreciate getting pranked with a whoopee cushion or hot sauce in your food on April Fool’s Day, but a good laugh may be just what the doctor ordered.

April is National Stress Awareness Month, and a report from the Society for Vascular Surgery shows kicking it off with laughter can be very beneficial for your vascular health.

“Laughter increases blood flow and improves the function of blood vessels,”  “Reducing stress is especially beneficial for persons who have hypertension (high blood pressure).” —Dr. Vivienne Halpern, from the Society for Vascular Surgery

Stress and high blood pressure can have detrimental effects on the body. The combination of pressure at work, financial issues, and personal or relationship problems can all raise blood pressure and cause hypertension, and even cardiovascular disease.

Studies have shown that a good laugh on a regular basis can even help prevent you from getting sick.

“Laughter reduces the level of stress hormones (cortisol, epinephrine, dopamine, and growth hormone) and increases the level of health-enhancing hormones (endorphins and neurotransmitters),”  “This can result in a stronger immune system and fewer physical effects of stress.” —Dr. Vivienne Halpern, from the Society for Vascular Surgery

Feeling tense? Laughing relaxes the muscles for up to 45 minutes afterward.

High blood pressure is a problem for one in every three adults in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and stroke is the fourth leading cause of death.

Along with laughing, a healthy lifestyle can reduce high blood pressure and the chance of stroke and heart attack as well as peripheral arterial disease that can lead to limb loss.

This includes maintaining a healthy weight, not smoking and exercising regularly.

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