April Fools!
By: Lexi Raine
Of all the days we celebrate, April Fools is the one that puts that naughty sparkle in your eye and tempts you to get up to some mischief…But did you ever wonder where it all began?
The origins of April Fools are as tricky as the day itself – with various different suggestions floating around, none of which are certain.
Some think that it dates back to Roman times – the end-of-winter festival to celebrate all things spring like was called Hilaria and often involved masquerades. Anyone could dress up as they pleased – which maybe just the excuse you need for a toga party in honour of the decadent Romans. Or how about a ‘masked ball’ with some like-minded friends? You’d be amazed at how much mischief you can get up to when no one can see your face!
Others suggest that the festival dates back to when the calendar changed from the Julian to the Gregorian. Those who were foolish or stubborn enough to stick to the old calendar were labelled ‘April fools’. Other theories point to the spring or vernal equinox, an ancient festival celebrated as the start of the summer and warm weather, when everyone started feeling frisky again after the long winter nights.
Whatever the true origin, one thing’s for sure – it’s a great day for playing jokes and hoaxes. Famous April Fools include the BBC’s TV programme about the spaghetti harvest – with footage of Italian women happily plucking spaghetti from the trees. Another classic was the claim that black and white TVs could be viewed in colour merely by pulling a nylon stocking over the screen – thousands of Swedes were taken in by the hoax in 1962. Just goes to show the varied uses for stockings…
In another underwear-related scam, the Daily Mail in the UK reported that 10,000 ‘rogue bras’ had mistakenly gone on sale. According to their report, wires in the bras were originally designed for use in fire alarms. When worn, contact with body heat was causing interference and static on TV and radio broadcasts. Thousands fell for the joke, and the chief engineer of British Telecom demanded to know what type of bras his female staff were wearing…
In France the day is celebrated as ‘Poisson d’Avril’, or ‘April Fish’, and kids will try to stick a paper fish to each other’s backs.
If you’re planning to get up to some tricks yourself, remember the superstitions surrounding April Fool’s. You have to play the joke before 12 noon, or you’ll attract bad luck – and if the situation is reversed and you’re the dufus that falls for the hoax, you’ve got to take it in good spirits or risk bad luck too! Another more intriguing superstition is that if a lass plays a trick on a man, he’s destined to marry her. So take heed, guys, if a girl’s up to tricks on April 1st she may be after more than just some slap and tickle!
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Lexi Raine is a writer for http://www.oasislingerie.com She has many intresting topics and ideas for all to read about. Check out more of her articles.