April Fool!

If the basis for Valentine's Day is mysterious (see post 14/2/08), then that for April Fool's Day is even more so. The "fool" or "Lord of Misrule" was a common character in medieval street theatre, and there were many local celebrations at this time of year to welcome in the Spring in which he would doubtless have taken part. And then the general idea of playing tricks on your elders and betters or bringing them down a peg or two is another common theme (I don't know if it is still the same, but when I was in the RAF doing my National Service, the officers always served the men their Christmas dinner for example) and it may well be that April Fool's Day developed out of these basic themes. Another explanation often put forward is that it is to do with the calendar changes which occurred throughout most of Europe (though not here) in the 16th century, when the start of the year changed from March 25th to January 1st. The week-long end of year celebrations ran from March 25th to March 31st, so for the common man the year really appeared to start on April 1st, and the confusion caused to many by the change is said to be the origin of being an April Fool. And then there's Chaucer (again) who, on one interpretation, sets his "Nun's Priest's Tale" of foolishness and trickery on "...Syn March bigan thritty dayes and two..." which comes out as April 1st - and this was written in 1390-some-odd. So it's a real mystery!!