By April Rodgers Content Coordinator/FreeWire-Magazine
A day of pranks, paper fish, and presidential hoaxes—what’s not to love? If you’ve ever tied a co-worker’s mouse to their desk or told your kids there’s a spider on their shoulder (when there absolutely wasn’t), congratulations—you’ve taken part in one of the most chaotic, charming, and questionably mature holidays in existence: April Fools’ Day.
While no one really knows exactly how it began—some blame confused 16th-century Frenchmen, others say it’s the weather’s fault—one thing is certain: April 1st is a day to laugh, trick, and groan your way through a world where nothing can be trusted, not even the news. Especially not the news. In France, if someone slaps a fish-shaped sticker on your back, you’ve just been dubbed a “poisson d’avril” (April fish). In Scotland, you’re a “gowk,” or cuckoo, which sounds a lot cooler than being the person wearing a “kick me” sign on Tailie Day, the prank sequel that hits on April 2nd.
Media outlets have long joined the fun, too. In 1957, the BBC convinced viewers that spaghetti grew on trees in Switzerland. Viewers even called in asking how they could grow their own. Then in 1996, Taco Bell straight-up announced it had purchased the Liberty Bell and renamed it the Taco Liberty Bell to help pay off the national debt. People were outraged. The National Park Service had to hold an actual press conference to assure everyone that the bell was still unseasoned and in its original location. And who could forget when NPR said Richard Nixon was running for president again in 1992, complete with the slogan: “I never did anything wrong, and I won’t do it again.” Classic.
If you’re looking to get in on the action today, may I recommend the April-approved workplace prank? Quietly connect a wireless mouse to your coworker’s computer, then from across the room, slowly start moving the cursor. Not fast. Not obvious. Just enough to make them question their life choices. Bonus points if they restart the computer twice before calling IT.
So today, it’s not just April Fools’ Day—it’s April Fools You Day, and I say that as both a journalist and someone who very coincidentally shares a name with the holiday. Embrace the nonsense and fun, but remember the golden rule of pranking: If you can’t take it, don’t dish it out.
Now I have to ask—are you planning to pull off a prank today? Spill the tea. I want the details, the reactions, and the drama. Tag us, message us, or just let me know who you fooled and how badly. Don’t leave me hanging—April Fools You Day only comes once a year.
