New Year’s in April
This post written by Stephanie Fader, Marketing & PR Manager
April Fool’s Day is upon us so watch your back! This fun holiday is marked by practical jokes and hoaxes but what is the origin of this wacky holiday? I did a little research and here’s what I learned. Very, very interesting…
First off, the origins of April Fool’s Day are pretty sketchy, but I found one theory that I really like. According to multiple sources, ancient cultures, including the Romans and the Hindus, celebrated New Year’s Day on or around April 1 as it closely follows the vernal equinox. However, in 1582 Pope Gregory XIII ordered a new calendar–the Gregorian Calendar–in which New Year’s was to be celebrated on January 1. France adopted the new calendar, however many people refused to accept the new date, or didn’t learn about it, and continued to celebrate the New Year on April 1. Other people began to make fun of them, sending them on “fool’s errands” or trying to trying to trick them into believing something false. Eventually, the practice spread throughout Europe and beyond.
This hypothesis isn’t fully accepted due to the timing of the calendar changes throughout Europe. However, I like it and here’s why. Here at MyPunchbowl we like big celebrations. What is a bigger reason to celebrate than the New Year? Let’s go old-school and start a wave of New Year’s parties in April!
Okay, maybe that’s a little far-fetched, but if you want in on some April Fool’s Day fun check out our April Fool’s Day eCards. You can play a practical joke on someone without even leaving your desk (and thus leaving yourself vulnerable to be pranked)!
