On April 1st, the English-speaking world celebrates April Fool's Day. It is similar to Day of the Innocents, but its origin is different. Some people believe that its origin dates back to 1564 in France during the reign of Charles IX, when the Gregorian Calendar was introduced. Traditionally, the new year coincided with the beginning of Spring. But with the new calendar, the new year was moved to January 1.
Of course, in those days, news traveled very slowly. Many people did not receive the news for several years. Others refused to accept the new calendar and continued to celebrate the new year on April 1. These people were considered to be backwards[1] and were called fools. People played jokes[2] on these “fools” or sent them on fools’ errands[2].
Over time, this practice turned into a tradition on the first day of April. Eventually, this tradition spread to Britain in the eighteenth century, and made its way to the English and French colonies in America. Nowadays, pranks[4] performed on April Fool's can be simple, such as lying, "Your shoe's untied!” or setting a roommate's alarm clock back an hour, or more elaborate. Whatever the prank, the prankster or trickster[5] usually ends it by yelling at his victim, "April Fool!"
[1] retrasados, [2] gastaron bromas, [3] missiones inútiles, [4] bromas, [5] bromista
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