How 1st (first) April Fool's Day is celebrated around the world

MENU

Other pages

April Fool's Day home
History / origins
Famous tricks
Pranks / jokes
Around the world
References

Around the world

The entire Western World subscribes to April Fool’s Day, though not always on April 1st.

In France and Italy the day is the same but instead of April Fool, it is Poisson d’Avril (April Fish) and whatever the Italian for that is. The idea being that you try to stick a paper fish on to a person without them noticing.

In Scotland the custom was known as "hunting the gowk," i.e. the cuckoo, and April-fools were "April-gowks".

In Spanish-speaking countries, fool’s day tricks are practised on December 28, the Day of the Holy Innocents.

In Iran, people play jokes on each other on April 3. The day is called "Sizdah bedar" (Outdoor thirteen). The idea is that people need to be outside to avoid the bad luck caused by the number 13.