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How did April Fools’ Day come to be?

There are a number of tales surrounding the origin of April Fools’ Day, and it is yet unknown which one of them is true. Regardless of debate surrounding its origin, many people, especially brands, take advantage of this day with some light hearted pranks, false news, and marketing gimmicks.

Legend has it that in 1564, France changed its calendar to the modern Gregorian version and moved its New Year’s celebration from the last week of March to January 1^st. Thus, those who continued to celebrate New Year’s on April 1^st were branded as ‘fools’.

Another story traces its roots to ancient Rome, where the Hilaria festival celebrated the resurrection of a demigod who donned many disguises; and the medieval Feast of Fools, wherein a Lord of Misrule was elected to mock Christian rituals, and thus was banned in the church.

A British legend goes that in the 13th century, the town’s residents heard that King John could claim any road on which he stepped as his property and so they accordingly refused the monarch entry. When his soldiers arrived to force their way in, the residents of Gotham pretended to be lunatics, and King John decided that their madness meant that the punishment that would have otherwise been meted out would be inappropriate. According to this story, April Fool’s Day celebrates their sneakiness.

Whatever the origin may be, there was no stopping people from keeping up with centuries of tradition. Here’s some of the best and trendiest of 2018 –