When did April Fools’ Day begin?
Practical joking seems to have coincided with spring since ancient times
Though pranksters and joke-lovers in many countries dupe their friends and loved ones on April Fools’ Day, no one knows exactly when or why, or even where, this tradition began.
A giddy spurt of practical joking seems to have coincided with the coming of spring since the time of the Ancient Romans and Celts, who celebrated a festival of mischief-making. The first mentions of an All Fools’ Day (as it was formerly called) came in Europe in the Middle Ages.
Some trace April Fools’ Day back to Roman mythology, particularly the story of Ceres, goddess of the harvest, and her daughter, Proserpina.
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