April Fool's Day

It is difficult to trace how April Fool’s Day originated, but it seems to be connected with the date of the New Year under the Julian calendar.

Before the introduction of the Gregorian calendar by Pope Gregory I in 1582 AD, New Years Day was on March 25th with celebrations which lasted for about eight days! These ended on April 1st, possibly at 12 noon. This may be why trick playing is supposed to cease at 12 noon on April 1st.

The custom appears to have originated in France, where people traditionally exchanged New Year gifts on April 1st. After the adoption of the new calendar, many people held on to the old traditions in spite of ridicule by the more progressive members of society. They became the butts of jokes, which gradually extended to the whole community playing tricks on each other such as sending apprentices on useless errands.

April Fooling gradually spread from France, reaching Britain in the 18th century.

Some researchers link the development of April Fools day with the medieval Feast of Asses or Feast of Fools. The latter was certainly very popular in France. It was not, however, associated with New Year as sometimes stated. The Feast of Fools occurred at the time of the Feast of the Circumcision on January 1st. Remember that in medieval times, under the Julian calendar, New Year was in March.

It is difficult now to distinguish between the Feast of Fools and the Feast of Asses, which may also have been held in January. Many of the churchmen had specific feast days during the Christmas season: the deacons on December 26th (St Stephen’s Day), the priest on December 27th (St John’s Day), the choristers and mass-servers on December 28th (the Day of the Holy Innocents) and the sub-deacons on January 1st (the Feast of the Circumcision).

The feast of the sub-deacons was later taken over by the Guild of Fools. The customs and buffoonery which then became associated with this feast probably had their origins in earlier pagan customs such as Saturnalia (held in December), when slaves were given temporary equality with their masters.

During the Feast of Asses, the preacher impersonated the Hebrew prophets while arguing the Divinity of Christ. This sermon evolved into a drama, with 28 actors taking the part of prophets, leading a procession into church. This parade included Balaam riding an ass (a wooden or hobby horse) and this was enjoyed so much by the congregation that it developed separately until the festival became known as the Feast of Asses.

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