Happy April Fools’ Day

April Fools’ Day is a celebration observed in many countries on April 1st.  The tradition as it is known today was started by Chaucer, the author of Canterbury Tales.  Written in 1392, an error in translation had people believing that the first day of April was the date that the vain Chauntecleer is tricked by a fox.  The original passage was intended to be read 32 days after April which is May 2nd, the anniversary of the engagement of King Richard II to Anne of Bohemia.

April Fools’ Day in France and French-Speaking areas of Canada involves attaching a paper fish to a victim’s back without them noticing.  This fun prank is called poisson d’avril (April’s Fish) and requires a tremendous amount of skill to pull off.  A Flemish tradition is to lock out parents and teachers and only letting them in if they promise to reward the children with candy that day.

Some of the most famous April Fools’ Day pranks in the United States include:

• Taco Bell’s Liberty Bell Hoax. In 1996, the restaurant chain claimed they bought the Liberty Bell and were renaming it the Taco Liberty Bell.
• Richard Nixon for President Again.  In 1992, the National Public Radio (NPR) show, Talk of the Nation, revealed that Richard Nixon felt like he had done nothing wrong and he was going to get Capitol Hill a second try.
• Burger King’s Left-Handed Whopper. The burger giant took out a full page ad announcing their famous burger created specifically for lefties.

Have a good time playing on pranks on relatives, friends, and co-workers this year.  In the spirit of fun, keep April Fools’ Day alive in 2013.  Few holidays are as amusing as this one.  Dream up the ultimate April Fools’ Day prank.  You’ll go down in history as the ultimate prankster.