Every year on April 1st, people celebrate April Fools' Day, also known as All Fools' Day, which is filled with practical jokes and hoaxes.
Jokesters often disclose their actions by yelling "April Fools!" at the recipient.
The practice of setting aside a day for playing harmless pranks upon one's neighbour has been quite popular in the world historically.
The roots of April Fools' Day are uncertain, and its history is lengthy and somewhat perplexing.
Pope Gregory XIII instituted the Gregorian calendar in 1582, which caused New Year's Day to shift from late March or early April to January 1.
On April 1st, those who were not aware of or opposed the move carried on with their New Year's celebrations.
People made fun of these "April fools" by pulling practical jokes on them, such sending them on "fool's errands."
This custom expanded throughout Europe and developed into the modern-day April Fools' Day.
According to another tale, the custom may have been influenced by the Roman festival of Hilaria, which took place at the end of March and featured disguises and pranks.
The contemporary April Fools' Day may have been inspired by the medieval French Feast of Fools, which likewise promoted celebration and humorous conduct.
On this day, people are free to act outside of the bounds of normal conduct and engage in some lighthearted mischief.
April Fools' Day jokes and pranks have the potential to strengthen social ties. People can bond over a shared laugh or a harmless trick that surprises them.
People utilize comedy to decompress, and the day allows everyone to be a little "foolish" without fear of dire repercussions.
By releasing phony goods or making amusing announcements, some large tech companies have taken advantage of April 1st as a marketing opportunity.