Another themed slice of knowledge coming up, as we delve into the murky history of April Fools' Day. Maybe it's just because I've got older, but it just doesn't seem to be the occasion that it once was - I feel as though spring japes are the property of newspapers, and there's little imagination amongst the general public. I think the draconian midday deadline doesn't help - it only takes one superbly executed, yet slightly mistimed practical joke, and the subsequent status of fool being unfairly placed upon you, and it's never the same again.
Another wet flannel on the face of foolery is that I now appear to have a job that is far too serious and responsible. What kind of tricks can I play? "I'm sorry, I know your rent arrears are only £30, but we've had enough. We want you and your children out by teatime. Um... April Fool. Please stop crying..." I'd like to point out that my job does not actually entail evicting families from their homes, but if you work in housing, rent is your lord and master. Maybe it's just the British who have lost their sense of humour, what with the invisible recession looming and all. In Denmark, it seems, they can't fit all the skylarkings into one day:
Denmark has two days each year devoted to practical jokes - Aprilsnar on 1 April, and Majkat on 1 May.
At least some people in the UK are still making the effort - Real Radio announced earlier today that a space shuttle was due to land at Cumbernauld Airport - several exceedingly gullible people headed down there to see it arrive. Other famous April Fools' Day japes can be found here - my personal favourites being Taco Bell's renaming of the Liberty Bell to - you guessed it - the Taco Liberty Bell (good because it's only just beyond the realms of possibility) and the Guardian inventing an island named and shaped after printing terminology. You know you're reading a broadsheet when they play a font-based practical joke on you...
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