The exact origins of April Fool's Day are a bit fuzzy, but many historians think it started with the Ancient Romans, people in Western Europe, and folks from the British Isles.
It’s pretty surprising that April Fools’ Day has such a long history, considering it’s all about harmless tricks. Some places even go beyond just one day in April to have fun with pranks all year round.
People all over the world love playful, mischievous antics, and April Fools’ Day is the perfect time for it.
Whether or not you get pranked depends more on who you hang out with than on where you are. But it's fun to see how different countries get creative with their jokes. You can take it as inspiration or a reminder that April Fool's Day fun knows no bounds.
Here are some places that really get into the spirit:
France: In France, people stick paper fish on each other's backs, kind of like a fancier version of the classic ‘kick me’ sign. They call it ‘Poisson d’Avril’ (April Fish), and it usually gets a good laugh.
Latin America: Across Latin America, they have ‘El Dia de los Inocentes’ (Day of the Innocents) at the end of December. It turns a serious Catholic holiday into a day of jokes and pranks. In Brazil, they save their mischief for April 1, calling it “Dia das Mentiras” (Day of Lies).
Iran: In Iran, they celebrate Sizdah Bedar on April 1 or 2. It’s a mix of playful tricks, superstition, and springtime fun.
Scotland: Scots have not one but two days for pranks: Hunt the Gowk Day and Tailie Day. They love playing lighthearted jokes on each other.
Poland: Prima Aprilis in Poland is all about playful tricks, but they remind everyone to be careful not to go too far.
Ireland: Irish folks send each other on ‘fool's errands,’ while in the Netherlands, they toss herring at their neighbours for fun.
Germany: Germans enjoy making up outrageous stories on ‘Aprilscherz’ to see who they can trick, all in good fun. Greeks believe that successfully pulling off a prank on April Fool's Day brings good luck for the year.
Portugal: Portugal celebrates pranks not on April 1 but on the Sunday and Monday before Lent, with lots of flour-throwing fun.
Spain: Spain has Holy Innocents’ Day on December 28, where pranksters get a free pass for their jokes, staying innocent in their mischief.
