By John Ellis Kordes
Village Historian

As today is April Fool’s Day, I thought we would hold off on the Garden City questions and explore a day dedicated to (well, you know who you are!)

Like Halloween, April Fool’s Day is celebrated in today’s culture with very little understanding of its origin.

Historical evidence suggests that April Fooling originated in France under King Charles IX. Throughout France in the early sixteenth century, New Year’s Day was observed on March 25th - on what they felt was the first day of Spring. The celebrations, which included gift giving, ran for a week, ending with dinners and parties on April 1st.

Later in 1564, the more accurate Gregorian calendar was finally adopted making New Year’s Day January 1st. Many Frenchmen who resisted the change continued partying and exchanging gifts during the week ending April 1st. These people resisting change were ridiculed for still celebrating the old New Year’s Day. Jokers sent foolish gifts and invitations to nonexistent parties.

The butt of an April Fool’s joke was known as a poisson d’Avril (April Fish) because at that time of year the sun was leaving the zodiacal sign of Pisces, the fish. In fact all events occurring on April 1st came under ridicule. Even Napoleon I, Emperor of France, was nicknamed “April Fish” when he married his second wife, Marie-Louise of Austria on April 1, 1810.

Eventually, everyone became comfortable with January 1st as New Year’s Day. However, whimsical April Fooling continued in France, then England and eventually America. So every April 1st we tease one another with a foolish prank.