Staff Writer: Jacob Almond
Most of you can probably say that you have been fooled once or twice before on April Fools’ Day, maybe by someone you know personally or a celebrity pulling a prank on the general public.
However, there have been times the public thought something was a joke on April Fools’ Day when it wasn’t, such as the announcement that David Lee Roth was out of Van Halen on April 1, 1985, or that even last year, April 1, 2021, that Roy Williams was retiring as head coach for the University of North Carolina.
So how did all of this start?
Some say it originated in France under Charles IX, when he declared that the new year would no longer start on Easter, but would begin on January 1. Since Easter was considered lunar and a movable date, those who followed the old ways were considered “April Fools”.
Others speculate that it could be related to the vernal equinox which takes place on March 21, a time people are often thrown off by the weather.
Despite the variations on where this globally recognized holiday originated, all cultures have in common the fact that this day is set apart for one to try and fool someone else.
So how will you spend your April Fools’ Day? Will you be the puppet master of an April joke, or will you be the puppet?
Wingate Triangle 