April 1st: April Fools' Day

Céline Arétin, editor for cultural, women's and ecology topics, April 1, 2025

Why is April Fools' Day celebrated on April 1st?

April Fools' Day originated in France in the 16th century. Before 1564, the year began on April 1st, but Charles IX decided, through the Edict of Roussillon, to set the start of the civil year on January 1st. Some people, attached to the old tradition, kept exchanging New Year's gifts on April 1st. Others took advantage of it to play tricks on them, handing over fake presents, often in the shape of fish — a symbol of abundance and of Lent, which forbade meat but allowed fish. This tradition spread to other countries, such as Scotland with "Gowk Day", where the victims are called "gowks" (cuckoos), or England with "April Fool's Day".

Prank ideas to try at home

Place a stock cube in the showerhead so that the water releases a smell of chicken or beef. To trick a driver, discreetly tape down the horn so it goes off as soon as the wheel is turned. In the kitchen, replace the cream of an Oreo biscuit with mint toothpaste for a refreshing surprise. To spread a little panic, stick a picture of a crack onto the television screen. Slipping a fake plastic insect under the lid of the coffee maker is also an effective way to surprise someone first thing in the morning. Finally, to unsettle a loved one, flip the icons on their smartphone home screen or switch its language to Japanese.

Fake products created for April Fools' Day

In 2015, Google launched "Google Maps Pac-Man", letting you play Pac-Man directly in the streets of Google Maps. In 2019, Burger King unveiled the "Chocolate Whopper", with a chocolate patty, white chocolate rings and caramel ketchup. In 2013, Virgin Atlantic announced a plane with a glass roof to admire the sky in flight. In 2018, McDonald's revealed the "Frork", a fork made of fries. In 2021, Lego presented the "SmartBricks", bricks able to move on their own so that parents don't step on them. That same year, Tinder launched "Height Verification", a tool meant to confirm users' real height. Finally, in 2017, Amazon announced the "Petlexa" smart speaker, designed to respond to the voice commands of pets.