Historians studying April 1 celebrations say the exact start is unclear. Some evidence points to medieval England, while others link the day to France or even ancient Roman spring festivals.

The history of April Fools may go back to poet Geoffrey Chaucer in the late 1300s. His Nun’s Priest’s Tale mentions pranks happening 32 days after March began, which could correspond to April 1. However, some scholars believe errors in medieval manuscripts may have altered the dates.

In France, the “Poisson d’Avril” tradition involves attaching paper fish to people’s backs as a prank. French poet Eloy D’Amerval referenced April fish in a 1508 poem, showing the practice existed centuries ago.

Another explanation ties April 1 pranks to calendar confusion. In 1564, King Charles IX of France set January 1 as the new year.

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People who celebrated in April were mocked, possibly inspiring the April Fools’ Day pranks we enjoy today.

Even though the exact history of April Fools remains debated, the tradition of celebrating April 1 with harmless jokes continues worldwide