APRIL FOOLS DAY

The Hindus celebrate Holi (Huli) on the full moon in March.. This festival began as a sacrifice to ensure good crops but some believe it is actually the forerunner of April Fools Day. An ancient Hindu legend speaks of Holika, a witch that had hurt so many the people burned her at the stake. The crowd shrieked and shouted to make sure Holika's witch friends would not hear her and try to save her. Some of the people were afraid the witch would still be able to hurt them from her grave so they threw dates, coconuts and fried  beans on the fire to appease her. Meanwhile, the children were running the streets playing pranks.

Another April's Food theory is that the French king, Charles IX adopted a new Gregorian calendar which changed the New Year from April 1 to January 1. Those who did not like the change still celebrated New Year on April 1 and the custom of giving joke gifts developed. It is believed the custom traveled from Europe to the States. The French call the victim of a practical joke poisson d'Avril, meaning fish of April. In April fish are newly hatched and therefore easy to catch. Young French people will often surreptitiously tape a picture of a fish on the back of a friend as a joke.

Or still yet another theory: It began at the same time around the world as a celebration of the spring equinox.

In Scotland the celebration lasts for two days with the second day is known as "Taily Day" where pranks involving the rear end are involved. The brunt of the joke is called "hunting the gowk". A gowk is the extinct cuckoo bird.