Happy March 32nd!

On this day, April 1st, in the year 1621, Massasoit, chief of the Wampanoags signed the first peace treaty between Native Americans and white Pilgrims, feeling certain that the white people meant no harm to Indian peoples. Moreover, also on this date, back in 1789, the newly established United States House of Representatives held its first full formal meeting. Thus, on this date, Congress was born. Is it any wonder they call it April Fools’ Day? Many people wonder about the origin of this famous holiday dedicated to the great human tradition of playing practical jokes on other people.

According to the New York Times, psychologists suggest that our penchant for playing pranks is prompted by our desire to make folks more humble. We value and honor the ability to laugh at oneself. Whenever we are the victim of a well planned practical joke, we realize we are not so on top of things as we like to think we are. This brings us down a peg or two and reminds us to be humble, and hopefully we have a good laugh, along with everybody else (at our expense, of course). So what is the origin of April Fools’ Day? I’ll tell you.

Nobody knows. There is a story that has been going about for a number of years that the day found its beginnings back in the late 1500s when Pope Gregory changed the New Year from April 1 to January 1. Ancient cultures used to celebrate the New Year at the beginning of spring as you all know if you read my earlier articles on New Year’s Day. When Gregory changed the date to the first of January, many people either refused to accept the new date or didn’t know about it. These people were considered “fools” by the people in the know as it were. They were often sent of fools’ errands, or as we might call them, wild goose chases. This is supposed to be the origin of April Fools Day and it is what you generally see when you look it up on the net.

However, it doesn’t really hold water, because not every country accepted the Gregorian calendar at the same time and April Fool’s Day existed in countries that still observed the old Julian calendar. Another story circulating around refers to Constantine and his jester, Kuger. The story goes that Constantine made the jester emperor for the day and that the day was given over to absurdity. This, however, was an admitted hoax by the man who first suggested it, Professor Boskin of Boston University.

I think it safe to say that we can chalk it all up to Spring Fever. 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, although not so lighthearted a holiday as you might think, considering it celebrates the hanging of a guy who persecuted the Jews…but then, that’s Israel for you. Perhaps there’s something about the time of year, with its turn from winter to spring, that lends itself to silliness. I, however, tend to be silly all year long.

April Fool’s Day is celebrated is celebrated all around the Western world. The French call it Poisson d’avril, or April Fish. They like to tape a picture of a fish on someone’s back, because there is nothing quite so hilarious as a picture of a fish on someone’s back. But then, the French like Jerry Lewis, so what can you say? They should stick to food and wine…and art, they’re not bad at that, either.