April First - World Laughter Day

April Fools' Day, Day of Fools - a worldwide holiday celebrated on April 1 in many countries.

As BAKU.WS reports, during this holiday, it is customary to play pranks on friends and acquaintances or simply joke with them.

Traditionally in countries such as New Zealand, Ireland, Great Britain, Australia, and South Africa, pranks are only played until noon, calling those who joke after this time "April fools".

It is known that in 1539, a Flemish nobleman played a prank on his servants by giving them joke errands on April 1. The first direct mention of the holiday dates back to 1686, when John Aubrey mentioned "Fools Holiday." Ten years later, several Londoners tried to prank people by inviting them to a "lion washing" at the Tower.

Regarding the origin of the custom, quite common throughout almost all of Europe, of deceiving one's acquaintances on April 1 by sending them in different directions under various pretexts, there are different opinions. Until now, it was commonly explained as a reproduction of the Savior's fate, being sent from Annas to Caiaphas, from Pilate to Herod. This explanation was based on the fact that in the Middle Ages during Easter, which often occurs in April, this scene was part of religious performances (mysteries).

Others saw in it only a hint at the changeability of April weather. In ancient Germany, this custom was unknown; it was brought there, as Grimm suggests, from France in recent centuries. Although its origin is not yet clarified there either, there is reason to believe that it is a remnant of a pagan, possibly ancient Celtic, holiday celebrated in connection with the beginning of spring.

In Russia, the first mass April Fools' prank took place in Moscow in 1703. Town criers walked the streets inviting everyone to come to an "unheard-of performance." There was no shortage of spectators. And when the curtain opened at the appointed hour, everyone saw a canvas on the stage with the inscription: "April first - don't believe anyone!" With that, the "unheard-of performance" ended.

Soon this tradition spread throughout the world, including Azerbaijan. However, today everyone tries to be prepared for all kinds of jokes and tricks.