by DYI Team
In the Gregorian calendar, April 1 is the 91st day of the year with 274 days remaining until the end of the year. However, there is something more unique about this day than merely being the start of a new month. People around the world celebrate April Fools’ Day every 1st of April, mostly by playing practical jokes and pranking their families and friends for a good laugh.
Have you ever wondered how the April Fools’ Day customs evolved?
Keep reading to find out the story behind the highly anticipated April 1:
Some Historians Speculate that April Fools’ Day Emanated From a Calendar Change in the 20th century
In 1952, France decided to switch from the Julian Calendar to the Gregorian Calendar (the one used by most countries in the world). The new year starts with the Spring Equinox around the 1st of April in the Julian Calendar.
Unfortunately for some people, they were slow to get the news that the new year has moved to January 1, so they continued to celebrate the new year from the last week of March to April. These people became the object of jokes and pranks and were popularly tagged “April Fools.”
Amazingly, the April Fools’ day tradition has been observed in various countries and cultures over the years. And countries like Cyprus take the celebration personally –April 1 is a national holiday for all Cypriots!
Many Brands Participate in the April Fools’ Charade
Over time, brands have participated in the April Fools’ Day celebration to creatively engage their customers and increase their online visibility on social media platforms.
From BMW’s 1983 rain-deflecting convertible, the giant automobile company, Volkswagen’s ‘Voltswagen’ backfired prank, McDonald’s new Sweet n’ Sauce Sundae sauce, Tinder’s height verification feature to a long record of Google’s April Fools’ Day campaigns, brands seems to have a knack for commemorating the day.
What do you think about the origin of April Fools’ Day and the pranks pulled off by the brands mentioned in the article? Let us know in the comment sections.
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