Happy April Fool's Day!

April Fool’s Day

April Fool’s Day is a fun day when people play tricks and practical jokes on each other. It is very popular in Britain as well as in many countries across Europe and Asia.

For centuries, one of the most popular read more...

jokes of April Fool’s Day has been to send someone out on a “fool’s errand”. The idea behind this is that in order to succeed, the person on the “fool’s errand” has to ask others for help on the way. However, everyone else usually recognizes the trick before they do!

No one really knows where or why April Fool’s Day originated but many think it may be a relic of an old Roman festival that used to be held in early April. This festival arose from the myth of Persephone. Legend has it that the God of the Underworld carried off Persephone. Her mother, Demeter, heard her calling just before the gates of the Underworld closed. Demeter went in search of her daughter but couldn’t find her anywhere. Demeter’s search was the first “fool’s errand.”

Of course, young people in particular love April Fool’s Day and teachers in Britain know to be on their guard throughout the day!

Many adults also enjoy the fun; on one now famous occasion in Britain, a serious news programme managed to convince many people that spaghetti grows on trees in Italy!