Here Are April Fools' Day Fast Facts.

Here is some background information about April Fool's Day, also known as All Fools' Day, celebrated on April 1st every year.  Be careful if you are playing the fool on April Fools Day because there is more about this international day of pranking than you know. Now get to the facts...


 1. What started April Fools’ Day
Some experts believe it began after the shift from the Julian calendar (with the new year starting around the March equinox) to the Gregorian calendar (which start the new year on Jan. 1) in the 1500s. Some people were mocked if they didn’t know about the switch and followed the old calendar.
 
2. Sounds pretty fishy
 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.

3. How to celebrate
 April Fools’ Day is observed throughout the Western world. Practices include having someone look for things that don’t exist, playing pranks and trying to get people to believe ridiculous things.

4. Speaking of ridiculous
 In the 1960s there was only one TV channel in Sweden, which broadcast in black and white. As an April Fools’ joke, it was announced that viewers could convert their sets to display color. They simply needed to pull a nylon stocking over the screen.

5 Also known as: Other names for April Fools’ Day around the world
 April Noddy Day, Gowkie Day, Huntigowk Day and St. All-Fools Morn.