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Celebrated on April 1, April Fool’s Day, also known as All Fool’s Day, is a day for tricks, pranks and jokes. Other names include April Noddy Day, Gowkie Day, Huntigowk Day and St All-Fool’s Morn.
There are several theories about the origin on the April Fool's Day custom. One explanation focuses on the introduction of the Julian and the Gregorian calendar. From ancient times, people in some parts of Europe celebrated the New Year on or around the March Equinox. However, the new calendar systems defined January 1 as the first day of the year.
Biblical theories
Another belief on the April Fool's Day origin points to the biblical character Noah as the first “April Fool”. It is said that on April 1, he mistakenly sent the dove out to find dry land before the waters subsided.
A second story tells that the day commemorates when Jesus was sent from Pontius Pilate to Herod and back again. "Sending a man from Pilate to Herod", is an old term for sending someone on a fool's errand.
The Origin of “Fool's Errands”
According to Roman myth, the god Pluto abducted Proserpina to the underworld. Her mother Ceres only heard her daughter’s voice echo and searched for her in vain. The fruitless search is believed by some to have inspired the tradition of “fool's errands”, practical jokes where people are asked to complete an impossible or imaginary task.
All Fool's Day in British Folklore
British folklore links April Fool's Day to the town of Gotham in Nottinghamshire. According to the legend, it was traditional in the 13th century for any road that the king placed his foot upon to become public property. So, when Gotham’s citizens heard that King John planned to travel through their town, they refused him entry, not wishing to lose their main road. When the king heard this, he sent soldiers to the town. But when the soldiers arrived in Gotham, they found the town full of fools engaged in foolish activities such as drowning fish. As a result, the king declared the town too foolish to warrant punishment.
This info came from here.
Fun facts
• The Scottish love April Fools' Day. In fact, they love it so much, they celebrate it for two days. In Scotland they call it "hunting the gowk" (the cuckoo), and if you are tricked, you are an "April gowk." To really get "behind" the holiday, the second day, called "Taily Day," is devoted to pranks involving the back side of the body. The "butt" of these jokes may often have a "kick me" sign placed on their back.
• There's something fishy going on in France. Kids fool their friends by taping a paper fish to their backs. When the victim discovers the fish, the prankster yells "Poisson d'Avril!" (April Fish!)
• Don't get floured, friends. In Portugal, April Fools' Day is actually celebrated on the Sunday and Monday before Lent. The big trick there? Throwing flour at your friend's face.
• Forget anything serious. In Poland everyone takes part in April Fools' Day activities, including the media and sometimes public institutions. All serious activities are completely avoided for the day. A favorite joke? Pouring water on people.
• In certain areas of Belgium, children lock out their parents or teachers and only let them in if they promise to give them sweets.
• Depending on where you live in England, instead of a "fool" you could be called a "noodle," "noddy," "gobby" or "gob."
Check out this list of the Top 100 April Fools' Day Hoaxes.
You can read more here.
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Today, April 3 is NATIONAL FIND A RAINBOW DAY!
Rainbows are a beautiful phenomenon that bear significance across different religions and cultures. Rainbows usually occur after a storm or rain shower, and they are the result of refracted sunlight hitting raindrops. This produces the optical appearance that is a rainbow. While the sun often shines after a rain shower, conditions are not always perfect to produce the appearance of a rainbow. For this reason, rainbows are considered special across many religions and cultures.
Religious and Cultural Significance
Because of their rarity, rainbows hold significance in many religions and cultures. In Christianity, a rainbow was seen after the Great Flood was set upon the Earth by God to cleanse sin and evil from the world. It is believed that the appearance of a rainbow after a storm is a sign that God will not destroy the world again by flood. There is also mention of a rainbow in the book of Revelations which uses the rainbow as a sign of the second coming of Jesus Christ.
Throughout Native American culture, the meaning and significance of rainbows varies depending upon the tribe. Some tribes believed that rainbows were the bridge between the spiritual and human world. This is sometimes referred as the “Rainbow Bridge”. Other tribes believed that rainbows were a symbol of healing goddesses. The Cherokee Indians believed that rainbows were a representation of the hem of the Sun god’s coat. Mayan Indians held a similar belief to Christians in regards to rainbows as they believed that after their world was destroyed by fire rain the appearance of a rainbow meant that the gods were no longer angry.
There are some cultures/religions that believe the rainbow represents the elements or the directions of the Earth. In Islam, rainbows only consist of four colors-blue, green, red and yellow-which correspond with the four elements water, earth, fire and air. The Buddhists believed that the seven colors of the rainbow represent the seven continents of the Earth. The ancient Arabians attributed the appearance of a rainbow as a gift from the south wind.
In many cultures, rainbows were a sign of luck or a gift from the gods. As many know, in Irish culture, a rainbow is synonymous with elusive pots of gold and leprechauns. Poland also shares the same belief with Ireland about the pots of gold at the end of the rainbow. However, in Polish culture the pots of gold are a gift from angels.
In many cultures, rainbows are a sign of pathways, messages or messengers. In Roman culture, rainbows were believed to be the pathway taken by Mercury the messenger god. In Norse tradition, rainbows became the pathway or bridge that only celebrated fallen warriors, royalty or gods could cross.
While many religions and cultures view rainbows positively, there are some instances were rainbows are seen as negative symbols. In many of these cultures, rainbows were associated with dark spirits or demons. In both Honduras and Nicaragua, people believed that rainbows were a sign of the devil, and it if they looked at a rainbow a curse would be placed on them. In Amazonian culture, rainbows are associated with less desirable spirits that cause miscarriages and skin disorders.
You can read more here.
Please share some rainbow trivia for today's holiday!
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Do you know that I like to create character stories? Just posted two new stories today. Check them out!
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Did you know that April 14 has many national trivia days? Tomorrow I will be posting information on just a few of the 16 national days for April 14.
NATIONAL DOLPHIN DAY
International Moment of Laughter Day
NATIONAL PECAN DAY
LOOK UP AT THE SKY DAY
If you love trivia please feel free to gather some information and post them here tomorrow.
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Each year on April 14th, National Dolphin Day recognizes the social and intelligent mammals of the water. Dolphins are cetacean mammals that are related to whales and porpoises. They range in size from 4 feet to up to 30 feet; dolphins are among almost forty species in 17 genera. Found worldwide, they prefer the shallower seas of the continental shelves. As carnivores, their diet consists of mostly fish and squid.
Male dolphin – bull
Female dolphin – cow
Young dolphin – calf
Group of dolphins – school or pod
Social, Swift, and Intelligent
Dolphins are known to have acute eyesight both in and out of the water. They also have a well-developed sense of touch, with free nerve endings densely packed in the skin. Since they additionally have such acute hearing, they can hear frequencies ten times or more above the upper limit of what adult humans can. Dolphins are also capable of making a broad range of sounds using nasal air sacs located just below the blowhole.
Living in pods of up to a dozen dolphins, they are highly social animals. Pods do merge in areas where there is an abundance of food, forming superpods. These pods may exceed 1,000 dolphins. Dolphins can, and do, establish strong bonds within their pods. Even when one is injured or ill, they will stay, helping them to breathe by bringing them to the surface if needed.
You will see the dolphins frequently leaping above the water’s surface. They do this for various reasons; when traveling, jumping saves them energy as there is less friction while in the air. Their leaps even have a name called porpoising. Some other explanations for leaping include orientation, social display, fighting, non-verbal communication, entertainment and attempting to dislodge parasites.
The United States National Marine Mammal Foundation conducted a study revealing that dolphins, like humans, develop a natural form of type 2 diabetes. This discovery may lead to a better understanding of the disease and new treatments for both humans and dolphins.
HOW TO OBSERVE #NationalDolphinDay
Learn more about dolphins, their habitats and how they live. Watch a documentary about dolphins. Share your knowledge about dolphins with others, too! Download and print the Dolphin Day coloring page. Use #NationalDolphinDay to post on social media. (Info here)
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Today is International Moment of Laughter Day
The unofficial holiday, created by humorologist Izzy Gesell, encourages people to forget the stresses of daily life and give into the healing and relaxing power of laughter. Medical studies have shown that laughing reduces stress, increases blood flow, and lowers blood sugar levels. Some studies have found that people who laugh just before going to bed are much more likely to sleep better than those who did not. In addition to its health benefits, laughter also has social advantages. People who are jovial tend to be quickly accepted in social groups and have an easier time making friends. Laughter is a way to spread joy and happiness and bring cheer in the lives of other people.
How to Celebrate?
Take a moment in the day to read or watch something that would make you laugh. Go with family and friends to watch a comedy show or comedy movie. Collect jokes and share them with colleagues, friends, and family.
Did You Know…
…that human laughter has a specific acoustic structure? Laughter can have a ha-ha-ha or ho-ho-ho structure, but it is humanly impossible to have a ha-ho-ha-ho structure to laughter. (Info here)
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Each year, National Pecan Day on April 14th celebrates one nut native to the United States. It’s also a favorite snack and ingredient across the country. A member of the hickory family, the pecan is native to central and southern United States. “Pecan” is an Algonquian word, meaning a nut requiring a stone to crack. They are an excellent source of copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, zinc and vitamin E. Pecans can help reduce LDL cholesterol and increase HDL cholesterol levels in the blood. They are also rich in dietary fiber.
Pecans make great snacks all on their own, but they also make terrific garnishes to other foods such as desserts, salads or the main meal. Sweet or savory, pecans can add a little glamor to a dish or be the star of the show.
HOW TO OBSERVE #NationalPecanDay
Enjoy your favorite pecan recipes. There are so many to choose from, too! You can snack on roasted pecans or you can make baked goods such as pies or cookies. Top them on your salad. How will you use pecans to celebrate? We even have a couple of delicious recipes for you to try, too! Pecan Snack and Sugar Coated Pecans (Info here)
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On April 14, Look Up At The Sky Day encourages us to admire the beauty above us. On this day we all hope for good weather and an opportunity to fill our eyes with the sky from horizon to horizon.
There are many things that you can see as you sit back, relax and look up. The sky’s beautiful blue color, the clouds, and their many shapes. Perhaps the sun (maybe peeking through the clouds), and many different birds flying around captures our attention. At night, the skies many stars, the moon, and even the clouds drifting across the sky.
HOW TO OBSERVE #LookUpAtTheSkyDay
Spend time watching the clouds. Note the different shapes and how they move. At night, investigate the stars. Search the heavens for constellations, planets and the Milkyway. Watch for a meteor shower or a single falling star. Over the horizon, an aurora borealis might begin to dance bringing on a beautiful show. While you’re looking up at the sky, play a game or two. Download and print off the Sky Bingo game we created and see if you can find any of these things in the sky. Let us know if you win, too!
HISTORY OF LOOK UP AT THE SKY DAY
National Day Calendar believes Look Up At The Sky Day was created in honor of Jack Borden, founder of For Spacious Skies. However, we need more information, and we look to our followers to obtain it.
For generations, Jack Borden inspired children and adults to look up and admire the beauty above us. He continues to do so. In 1987, For Spacious Skies Day was proclaimed in Massachusetts on May 18th thanks to Jack Borden’s efforts. The story reported by Charles Kuralt below gives a detailed view of the impact Mr. Borden has had over the years. (Info here)
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Have you heard that I created 3 new stories? Check them out!
