The history of the celebration of April 1st. April Fool's Day: the history and traditions of the holiday
April 1- practically the only holiday, the onset of which will be remembered first by children, and adults will pick it up. Probably every person at least once in his life was the initiator drawing on April 1, or a victim, whoever is lucky.
In the common people this day is called happy laughter, fool's day and even Happy spring solstice. This is a holiday that has gained wide popularity in the world, it is known in America, and in Europe and even in the East.
Where did this riot of jokes, jokes and drawings for April 1? How did this holiday come about?
There are many versions, which one is the most truthful - it is almost impossible to figure it out, therefore, we will briefly mention the most common of them.
1. In Europe until the 16th century, before the transition to the Gregorian calendar, New Year's week coincided with last week Martha. From here came the first version of the origin of April Fool's Day. When, by decree of the French king, the beginning of the year began to be officially celebrated on January 1, some subjects continued to celebrate it. April 1- according to tradition, from ignorance, stubbornness, etc. And, as you know, the festivities were noisy, with a masquerade and practical jokes. Such people became known as "April Fools".
2. Some are convinced that the holiday originated in the days of tradition. ancient world note feast of fools(not in April only, but in mid-February). And others believe that the truth is hidden in the celebration joke day March 31 V ancient india.
3. One of the versions of the appearance happy holiday April 1 says that in the Roman Empire, Emperor Constantine issued an order that one day a year the state would be ruled by his court jesters. On the first such day, the buffoon Kugel became the temporary ruler, who ordered everyone on April 1 to fool around and have fun.
4. "April Fools" - another version that explains the appearance April Fool's Day. Once the Neapolitan king Monterey tried a fish that he liked. A year later, on the same holiday, he again asked for a dish he liked, but the cook's subjects could not find exactly the same fish. They prepared the same dish, but with different fish. The king recognized the substitution, but only laughed at it. This is how the holiday of pranks and jokes - April 1 - went down in history. Shock!
5. There is a version that the holiday of Jokes originated from the tradition of celebrating Spring equinox day. On this day, laws in nature, for some reason, lost their force. Yes, and in society, many began to allow themselves previously inadmissible, including making fun of their superiors. But in ordinary life For this, it was possible to lose vital organs.
Where do you think it came from Fool's Day tradition?
Why April 1st is April Fool's Day? The tradition to arrange funny pranks, joke, laugh and have fun in every possible way on this day exists in almost every country in the world. This day, not officially marked in any calendar as significant event, nevertheless, deserves the status of an international holiday.
It has no specific official name(about why March 8 is International Women's Day you can find out). In some countries (such as Russia) it is called "April Fool's Day", in others (for example, in England) - "April Fool's Day", and in France it was originally called "April Fish Day". Where and when exactly did this tradition originate?
The main milestones of the birth of the holiday
History of April 1: "April Fool's Day" or "April Fool's Day"? There are quite a few versions as to why the custom of having fun was fixed on April 1, and this is not surprising: after all, the tradition of joking and laughing merrily existed in ancient Greece.
And in ancient times...
1. Ancient Greek healers claimed that laughter is able to cleanse the soul and body, thanks to which, getting rid of negative emotions and anxiety, a laughing person experiences the so-called catharsis (purification).
The ancient spring orgies, arranged by the population of ancient cities on forest clearings and in shady groves. These merry festivities were accompanied by dances, chants and generous sacrifices to the ancient gods.
It was to this time that the emergence of anecdotes (short humorous stories) and epigrams (even shorter witty inscriptions) dates back.
2. There is a hypothesis according to which the origins of April Fool's humor were laid in the ancient Roman custom of celebrating the fool's day (however, there is some discrepancy in the time of the celebration, because it was celebrated not in April, but at the very end of February).
The most likely version seems to be that in ancient Rome there was a tradition of appeasing the god of Laughter by inventing witty practical jokes and jokes, and this should have been done in April.
Funny hoaxes in Europe
1) Why April 1st is April Fool's Day? Most likely, this is due to the transition to a new (Gregorian) calendar. It happened at the end of the XVI century, at the initiative of Pope Gregory XIII. According to his instructions, the celebration of the new year was postponed from April 1 to January 1.
However, due to the fact that information spread very slowly in those years, some part of the population continued to celebrate the new year according to the old calendar.
Some subjects of the French crown did this (against the decrees of the Pope and their monarch) because of their adherence to old customs. People who ignored the instructions of those in power began to be called fools, they made fun of them in every possible way and made fun of them without malice.
2) The Neapolitans claim that the tradition of celebrating April 1 with jokes and laughter was introduced by their king Monterey, who lived in the 17th century. It was on this day that they were ordered to arrange a merry holiday on the occasion of the earthquake that had just ended.
One of the local fishermen brought a very large mackerel to the monarch, the taste of which Monterey liked so much that he ordered the same dish to be prepared on next year. However, a year later, the palace cook did not have mackerel, and he risked preparing another fish, passing it off as mackerel.
The deception was revealed, but Monterey did not think to be angry: this incident amused not only him, but all the courtiers. Since then, funny hoaxes have become an indispensable component of palace festivities.
What's with the fish?
We can meet the first mention of this holiday in a poem by one of the French poets who lived in the 16th century. It describes the funny custom of discreetly gluing a fish cut out of paper to the back of a gaping prankster.
We can only assume that all famous phrase about the "white back" appeared precisely thanks to this medieval tradition.
How did the "triumph of the smile" become the "day of fools"?
The first documentary evidence of the existence of this term can be found in the poems of the English poet John Aubrey, written by him in 1686. To this day, pranksters living in countries where the population speaks English, do this only before lunch. The rest of the day is spent on the disclosure of the draw.
The very first draw, reflected in documentary sources, took place in London, at the very end of the 17th century. Young London rakes (with the most serious look) invited everyone to become eyewitnesses of a unique spectacle: bathing lions in the Tower.
April Fool's drawings in Russia
The Russians (as well as the Europeans) had a pagan spring holiday, inseparable from joy and fun, but the tradition of organizing April Fools' hoaxes appeared after the inhabitants of St.
Alarmed Petersburgers at first rushed to save their lives and simple belongings, but when they were told that the alarm was just a joke, their joy and delight knew no bounds.
An equally amusing example of an April Fool's prank is the prank of a German troupe of comedians who called a huge crowd of people, promising to show an unprecedented spectacle. Tsar Peter I himself came to see the outlandish performance.
When the curtain was raised, the astonished spectators saw a white canvas with the inscription: "The month of April - do not trust anyone!" Moving away from surprise, Peter laughed along with the rest of the fooled audience. This case is the first in Russian history mass draw. It happened in Moscow, in the very early XVIII century.
How do they "fool around" in different countries?
The stiff English only joke until noon. Their most common prank is an offer to tie a shoelace or bring a lagging watch. On this day in the UK it is customary to exchange funny souvenirs and postcards.
The Scots love this holiday so much that they celebrate it for two days. April 1 is called “Cuckoo Day” and April 2 is “Tail Day”. On this day, one should be very careful not to sit on a slipped pillow that makes sounds indecent in a civilized society.
The French and Italians are making every effort so that no one can attach a paper fish to their backs. Those who fail to do this are "remained in the fish" (in other words, "the fools").
The French often play pranks on each other, adding sugar to the salt shaker or adding pepper to a sweet dessert.
Finns love to play pranks on their children. Often they send them to neighbors for non-existent items (such as glass scissors).
Americans with a sense of humor have always been quite complicated relationship. Therefore, their April Fool's jokes are very banal and mostly come down to untied shoelaces and soiled clothes.
Their tradition of involving television in pranks is very funny, because before making a joke, the announcer or host of the program is required to warn the audience that a joke is about to sound.
Cheerful Italians will not miss the opportunity to attach a paper fish to their neighbor's back - a symbol of the holiday. They consider it a great success when it rains that day: you can quietly pour bright circles of confetti directly into the umbrella, and then the person who opens it will certainly laugh.
A traditional Italian draw is considered to be the translation of all the arrows on the home clock.
Bulgarians are a people with good developed sense humor. Residents of the town of Gabrovo are distinguished by special self-irony, telling very funny jokes about my own greed.
The Bulgarian media are adept at presenting believable-sounding "news".
Instruction
The most popular theory says that this was the case. In France, until 1582, which lived at that time according to the Julian calendar, they celebrated New Year from 25 to 1 April. Then the authorities decided to introduce the Gregorian calendar, so the New Year's holidays were postponed to January 1 - the time familiar to us. But, however, this news did not reach everyone, and many, out of ignorance or out of stubbornness, continued to note, as they did before. More advanced citizens have a tradition of joking with the ignorant. Usually they could imperceptibly attach a paper fish to the back and tease him with “April fish”. There was also a funny custom, and he lives to this day, to send a simpleton somewhere with a meaningless assignment.
But if we consider that the origin of the holiday took place in this way, it is not clear why it became popular throughout Europe. After all, such Protestant countries as Scotland, Germany and England adopted the new Gregorian calendar only in the 19th century. And they celebrated April Fool's Day long before that. But the reason for the holiday could not appear later than the holiday itself!
From all this it follows that April 1 has deeper roots, because there were such festivals before - in the Middle Ages and in antiquity. The ancient Roman predecessors include Hilaria and Saturnalia, when it was necessary to change clothes and rejoice wildly. There is also evidence that in honor of the god of laughter, the Celts in the old days also had a holiday. These are considered the early ancestors of April Fools' jokes.
Prototype modern day laughter, you can consider the medieval holiday "Feast of Fools" - a descendant of Saturnalia. It was celebrated mainly in France, and main theme was a laugh at church rituals and the election of a joke dad. Despite the fact that the church opposed, it existed until the 16th century. Then the only opportunity to fool around as much as you want was the carnival.
There is also a theory that says that this holiday originated in Ancient Rome, where the Fools celebrated the feast in the middle, and associated it with honoring the deity of Laughter. There are also claims that April 1 originated in ancient India, where the celebration of jokes was held on March 31. There is also an opinion that in ancient times on the 1st of April, but only in honor of the New Year, the Irish also joked. In the Icelandic sagas, that the tradition of cheating on April 1 was introduced by the gods in memory of the daughter of Thiass, who was called Skadea.
Scientific hypothesis says that April Fools' Day is associated with spring equinox. When the seasons changed, all natural and social laws seemed to lose their force for a while. Reasonable, adequate behavior changed to the opposite: the people feasted and allowed themselves various pranks on their superiors, although at other times for such behavior they could lose something vital, and easily. And cultural experts explain the custom of hanging a paper fish on the back by the fact that in France, with the onset of spring, young fish appeared in large quantities in the reservoirs, and so inexperienced that it was easy to catch it.
That on this day, German actors deceived Peter I and the audience, who gathered for the performance, and instead of presenting the play, they put up a banner on the stage: “The First of April.” This behavior did not anger Peter, and when he left the theater he only said: "The liberty of the comedians."
About how it came about April Fool's Day there are many hypotheses. They all agree on one thing: the roots of the Fool's Day are deeply rooted in the Middle Ages, but their particles were found even in more ancient times. And in medieval Europe the carnival-carnival culture was finally formed on the basis of the most ancient jokes and entertainments.
Version 1. Ancient history
Ancient Rome boasts a host of hilarious jokes, from Caligula and Nero to other less fanciful emperors. But the common people always had fun there. True, the day of the Fools - that was the name of this holiday in Ancient Rome, was celebrated in mid-February. And in ancient India there was a kind of holiday of jokes on March 31, which has survived to the present. The Celtic god of laughter, Lud, has been celebrated on April 1 since time immemorial.
Version 2. Middle Ages
Be that as it may, the second version, which attributes the birth of such a merry holiday to France in 1583, is considered the most reliable. And you need to thank for the birth of Pope Gregory XIII, who took it into his head to carry out a calendar reform in this particular year. That was the real joke! Before the papal reform, all the people celebrated the arrival of the New Year on a glorious spring day on April 1, when the earth flourished and hearts were filled with happiness. And then suddenly came the witty decision to move this happy meeting on January 1st. The people (due to the lack of mass media and their own adherence to old habits) could not part with the spring New Year's meetings. Well, they continued to have fun the old fashioned way, April 1. These naive, gullible people, having fun so untimely, began to be called fools, and the day itself began to be called the Fool's Day, thereby explaining that only fools celebrated the arrival of the New Year without turning special attention to papal decrees.
The holiday in France was called "April Fish" due to a kind of entertainment: a paper fish was glued to the back of the victim of the draw. Since the Luminary on April 1 leaves the constellation Pisces, the joke was on point.
Further april fools pranks entered national tradition, and then spread over all European countries, spread to overseas colonies. April 1 soon became an international humorous holiday.
began to take shape different stories emphasizing the special meaning of the holiday. Then the people came up with the idea that God created Adam on April 1, when he wanted to have fun. Men, on the other hand, completely refute this version, proving that it was Eve who was fashioned by the Lord from Adam's rib on April 1 in order to fully enjoy the effect produced.
… who knows how it really was? The main thing is that the holiday exists and brings joy. And what can compare with a good joke?
Version 3. Myth or reality?
It is said that the Neapolitan King Monterey had a hand in celebrating April 1st. Once, in order to adequately mark the cessation of the earthquake, an amazing fish was presented to the king as a gift. His Majesty's cook prepared an excellent dish from this fish, which sunk into the soul of the king. It happened on April 1st.
Exactly one year later, Monterey wanted to taste the same splendor again. However, there were no fish like last year. Then the cook undertook to cook something similar, taste almost indistinguishable from the desired one. But the king discovered the substitution. True, he was not angry, but terribly amused. Since then, April Fools' jokes have become part of the Neapolitan tradition.
April 1 in Russia
As soon as April was not called in the old days in Russia. And he was a capricious, and a rogue, and a sly one, who does what he wants, then he does. The sharpest weather contrasts are associated with this humorous and fickle month. April loves to joke not only about the weather, he is so unpredictable.
Since the time of Peter I, April Fools' jokes have appeared in Russia. They came, they say, from the Germans, of whom there were many in St. Petersburg, and throughout Russia. Of course, we joked even before Peter. How many mummers wandered around Rus' and at Maslenitsa and Christmas time! But the appearance of April Fools' jokes is inextricably linked with the Peter the Great era, which launched April Fool's Day. Or April Fool's Day. As you like more.
… April Fool's pranks have long escaped the narrow confines of family and neighborhood entertainment. There are quite harmless jokes among them, but there were also pranks in history that could lead to incredible consequences, do not stop them in time with a message that on April 1 no one can be trusted.
Modern traditions. Media and April 1
Mass media are credited with many April Fools' provocations. In 1698, a London newspaper published an announcement that they were going to wash the lions in the Tower on April 1st. So many onlookers who believed the message, stiff London did not have to see! But when the same ad appeared in the newspapers nearly two centuries later, nothing had changed. People came to look at the washing of the lions again.
In 1957, exactly on April 1, the BBC broadcaster shocked viewers with a message about an unheard-of pasta crop that had grown in Switzerland.
The message was accompanied by footage of Swiss farmers picking boiled pasta from the fields. The most important achievement, according to the announcer, was that all pasta was the same length thanks to the dedicated work of a group of breeders. After this news, the editors were flooded with letters from readers, in which only a part of the viewers expressed timid comments about the plot, confessing their former incompetence. The main part of the audience was only concerned that the pasta grew vertically, not horizontally. Some of the naive viewers turned to the editorial office with a request to send the seedlings of this diva.
Our people proved to be as gullible as all nations. On April 1, 1990, the Interlocutor published a study stating that the poet Alexander Blok did not exist, there were only a few writers writing under this pseudonym. The funny thing is that famous literary scholars entered into a polemic with the Interlocutor, trying to prove that the publication was tragically mistaken.
Komsomolskaya Pravda also joked more than once. The newspaper was especially successful with the April Fool's joke about a baby mammoth allegedly found in Chukotka in a completely frozen state. But the baby mammoth warmed up in warmth and affection, and then was placed in the Moscow zoo. People began to come to Moscow on excursions, only to see the unfrozen miracle with their own eyes. And the Moscow zoo had to endure a series of terrible scandals with angry lovers of mammoths.
Is such a holiday necessary in the 21st century?
Now our consciousness is so filled (thanks to the same media) with information about terrible crimes, military conflicts, economic and other crises, that the brain certainly needs a discharge. Negative emotions in huge doses are contraindicated for humanity. It survives due to a sense of humor, without which negative information would simply destroy the human essence. Good joke, a worthy draw, fun, laughter have long become reliable companions of people, helping them out in difficult everyday situations.
It's great that there is such a holiday, even if they call it not only April Fool's Day, but also April Fool's Day. Spring does not come alone, but on April 1, it is joined by a day of glorious rallies that cannot even be imagined in a dank November or icy February. Every holiday has its own day! So feel free to stock up on humor, jokes, laughter and ... be careful not to become a victim of someone's prank.
April 1st is April Fool's Day or April Fool's Day. Despite the fact that this holiday is not in the calendars, it is actively celebrated in various countries peace. On this day, it is customary to make fun of others: friends, colleagues, acquaintances. harmless pranks, jokes and laughter make everyone smile, help recharge with positive emotions and get a spring mood.
The history of the origin of the holiday
Why did people begin to celebrate April Fool's Day and compare it with the date of April 1? What is the origin of this holiday?
Reliable information about the causes and situations that influenced the emergence of this holiday has not reached our days. There are several assumptions about this, let's consider some of them.
Version 1. Spring Solstice
It is believed that the custom was formed as a result of the celebration of the spring solstice or day. In many countries it was customary to celebrate these dates, and festivities often accompanied by fun, joy and fun. The time of the end of winter and the beginning of spring was often greeted with jokes, practical jokes, and dressing up in masquerade costumes.
Version 2. Ancient civilizations
Some suggest that ancient Rome became the founder of this tradition. In this state, the Day of the Fools was celebrated in honor of the God of laughter. Here are just a significant day celebrated by the Romans in February.
According to other versions, the holiday originated in ancient India, where the day of March 31 was singled out and celebrated with jokes.
Version 3. Middle Ages
A more common version is that the holiday was created in the 16th century in Europe. In 1582, Pope Gregory XIII approved the provision for the transition to the Gregorian calendar of days. Thus, the celebration of the New Year was moved from April 1 to January 1. However, according to an established tradition, some people continued to celebrate the beginning of the New Year in the old way. Julian calendar. Such residents began to play and ridicule, they were called "April Fools". Gradually, it became a custom to give “stupid” gifts on April 1st.
April 1 in Russia
The very first recorded draw in Rus', dedicated to April 1, was organized in Moscow in 1703, in the era of Peter I. For several days, the heralds called the inhabitants of the city to an “unprecedented performance” - the German actor promised to easily climb into the bottle. A lot of people gathered. When it was time to start the concert, the curtain opened. However, only a canvas was adorned on the stage, containing the inscription: “The first of April - do not trust anyone!”. This is how the show ended.
Since the 18th century, in the works of famous Russian writers and poets, there have been references to the celebration of April 1 - the Day of Laughter.
The funniest April Fools' jokes in history
For many years in different countries of the world, people play pranks on each other on April 1st. History has recorded a number of mass jokes that were published in print media or broadcast on radio and television.
Spaghetti on the trees
A leader in the laughter industry is a BBC News joke dated April 1, 1957. The TV channel informed the public that Swiss farmers have managed to grow a large crop of spaghetti. The proof was a video in which workers collect pasta straight from the trees.
After the show was shown, numerous calls were received from viewers. People wanted to know how to grow a similar spaghetti tree on their property. In response, the TV channel advised to put a branch of spaghetti in a jar tomato juice and hope for the best.
food machine
In 1877, Thomas Edison, who developed the phonograph at that time, was considered the universally recognized genius of his time. On April 1, 1878, the Graphic newspaper took advantage of the scientist's popularity and announced that Thomas Edison had created a food machine that would save humanity from world hunger. It was reported that this apparatus could convert soil and soil into breakfast cereal, and water into wine.
Without doubting the reliability and veracity of the information, various publications reprinted this article praising the scientist's new invention. Even the conservative Commercial Advertiser in Bufalo was generous with its praise.
Subsequently, Graphic boldly republished the editorial of the reputable Commercial Advertiser with the headline: "They ate it!".
mechanical man
On April 1, 1906, Moscow newspapers published the news that scientists had created a mechanical man who could walk and talk. The article contained photographs of the robot. Those wishing to see the miracle of technology were invited to visit the Alexander Garden near the Kremlin, where they promised to demonstrate the invention.
More than a thousand curious people gathered. While waiting for the performance to begin, people in the crowd told each other stories that they had already managed to see the mechanical man. Someone recognized the robot in a neighbor standing nearby.