April Fools pranks

The French media love a good April Fool or 'Poisson d'Avril' - here are five of the best.

French attitudes to healthcare](https://www.connexionfrance.com/article/Mag/Culture/Five-things-they-don-t-tell-you-about-French-attitudes-to-healthcare) Read more:

April Fools Day seems like a fun idea, but for those afraid of being tricked, it's 24 hours of anxiety.

Impressively liberated from our opulent life-style, Sidd's deciding about yoga —and his future in baseball," reporter George Plimpton wrote. But the announcement itself was nothing but a whopper. In 1962, the only television channel in Sweden only broadcast in black and white. In 1957 the BBC aired a segment about a bountiful harvest of spaghetti in a Swiss village. But the iceberg was merely a barge covered in plastic sheets, firefighting foam and shaving cream. April Fools' Day seems like a fun idea, but for those afraid of being tricked, it's 24 hours of anxiety.

April Fool's Day 2023: Don't be fooled! It's that day of the year when someone tells you something that isn't true or carefully plants a practical joke for ...

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Revellers dressed in mock military garb take part in "Els Enfarinats" food-battle in the southeastern Spanish town of Ibi on December 28, 2022, a celebration ...

Sizdah Bedar, which is [said](https://surfiran.com/sizdah-bedar-festival-iran/) to have been [ celebrated as far back as the 5th century BC](https://www.learnpersianonline.com/blog/persian-traditions-sizdah-bedar-13th-day-nowrouz/), is translated as “getting rid of 13,” so it has an appropriately superstitious air. In Brazil, however, April 1 is still the prank day of choice, and they cut straight to the chase by calling it “ [Dia das Mentiras](https://www.brownandhudson.com/news/article/april-fools-day),” or “Day of Lies.” [Day of the Innocents](https://panoramas.secure.pitt.edu/%E2%80%9C%C2%A1inocente-inocente%E2%80%9D-day-innocents-latin-america%E2%80%99s-april-fools%E2%80%99-day),” a late December Catholic feast with extremely un-silly origins that somehow became a day of jokes and pranks. If you don’t get gowked, there’s always an opportunity for humiliation the next day, which is “Tailie Day.” Tailie Day is for largely harmless derrière-related pranks, like pinning a tail on someone or sticking a sign on their back. However, research did turn up a [fantastic parting phrase](https://www.tbnpolska.tv/newsy/prima-aprilis-uwazaj-bo-sie-pomylisz) for prankers: Prima Aprilis, uważaj, bo się pomylisz! The “Els Enfarinats” tradition is reportedly more than 200 years old and involves a mock military-style “takeover” of the town, where the new rulers get to make up strange laws that others have to abide by. [one apocryphal origin theory](http://hoaxes.org/af_database/permalink/origin_of_april_fools_day) suggests that when France switched from the Julian calendar to the current Gregorian calendar in the 1500s, people thought it would be funny to jokingly celebrate the old “New Year’s” and make fun of people who forgot the change. Iran could boast the oldest April Fools’ traditions with its observance of Sizdah Bedar, which also has a prank-playing element. [stick paper fish on other people’s backs](https://frenchmoments.eu/april-fools-day-traditions-in-france-le-1er-avril/), kind of like an elevated “kick me” sign. A little flour throwing, a little dancing, and the day of Risk-inspired LARPing is complete. For some cultures, it’s not even relegated to one day in April, cracking the calendar wide open for multi-seasonal chaos. In France, a longstanding tradition is to

Donald Clarke: Once enthusiastically embraced by newspapers, the tradition has ebbed in recent years.

That record of pretentious journalism – a cousin of Private Eye’s Pseuds Corner – did not seem to detect the self-deprecation in “The proto-earthly intensity of the sub-Monostrovian narrative remains visibly, uncomfortably stratified”. The film pages in this newspaper were on board for a good portion of the current century. In 1999 the Guardian returned to San Serriffe to discover a “vibrant nation transformed by a visionary leader”. The title is an anagram of “April Fools”. Nobody needs to pull journalists away from the British Leyland dispute to compose a many-paged supplement on an imaginary island nation. General MJ Pica, the country’s dictator, is “named after a unit of measurement in type”. It says something about British dietary habits in the Macmillan era that millions believed pasta might grow on trees and that it might be susceptible to the “spaghetti weevil”. For decades, newspapers and broadcasters have joined in what I am required to call “the fun” (or, still worse, “the cra*c”). On April 1st, 2005, Michael Dwyer, my predecessor as film correspondent, published a “six-star” review of a non-existent film called Sail-Proof Lady. But the modern mode really seems to have kicked in with the BBC’s notorious “spaghetti tree hoax” in 1957. You can “win two weeks in San Serriffe as the guest of James Hunt” (the cavalier racing driver had just beaten Nikki Lauda to the world championship). This column has learned the internet is suffering from dry rot and will cease to function by the end of the current decade.

April Fools day has rolled around once again so make sure you don't get caught out and stick with the Mirror to see all of the best jokes and pranks as they ...

It was the perfect fit." Dulux says it has a royal announcement which is 'hound' to cause a stir... [Bizarre news on April 1](https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/april-fools-day-live-best-26607458) told of the Prime Minister's apparent then-resignation, crocodiles on the beach, the renaming of the Prince of Wales Bridge and a giant white horse statue dubbed "Angel of the South" in Kent. While we're on the lookout for the biggest pranks of 2023 we can look back to last year's April Fool's Day. Numbers in the musical are said to include "The Cold Never Bothered My Todger Anyway", "The Dogbowl Song", "(Not) The Best Man", "I'll Make A Man Out Of You (Behind A Very Busy Pub)" and "Camilla's Lament". The new game is imaginatively titled Harry & Meghan: Call of Dukey, and will apparently launch a week before the coronation. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle 'will launch a video game ahead of the Coronation' A mock-up of the dairy label, named Matt Hancock's Cheddar, features the politician's face and the strapline “Cheese for the people”. The paint brand writes: "Fans must now wave goodbye to the beloved icon, and all rise to welcome the new face of the paint brand – a King Charles Spaniel." Matt Hancock to launch a new cheese brand - a 'cheese for the people' When asked about the branding strategy and creative execution, an agency spokesperson said that one of Hancock’s primary aims for launching the brand was to "normalise politicians" and make them more "relatable". In more recent years, the day has also become a prime opportunity for companies and brands to play pranks and jokes on the unsuspecting public online as well.

April Fools' Day is in full swing as the Australian public and brands try and fool each other with both outlandish and sort of believable fake claims.

Now I’m just disappointed that I can’t go and look at it,' one user wrote. An impersonator, Reggie Brown, was dressed and covered in make-up to appear like the former US president. I’m a bit slow this morning. 'Say hello to Farmer Alf! The Sunshine Coast Snake Catchers joined in claiming that a South American anaconda had made its way to the Buderim Falls in the Sunshine Coast hinterland. A South American anaconda spotted outside a trail walk on the Sunshine Coast by the Sunshine Coast Snake Catchers (pictured) was not all it appeared to be Facebook site for Perth locals, Perth is OK, posted a picture of the city's brand new waterfall that had appeared off one of its braches: 'Coogee Falls, only 40 minutes from the Perth CBD!' The award for most people fooled might go to reality TV show, Farmer Wants a Wife, for 'announcing' that Home and Away character, Alf Stewart, would be joining the show (pictured) Some Perth locals were fooled by a social media account that claimed the city was going to be the first Southern Hemisphere city to witness the Aurora Borealis (stock image) 'Perth may be the first city in the southern hemisphere to ever witness the Aurora Borealis (the Northern Lights) due to a rare, once in a lifetime example of extreme tropospheric ducting,' the Facebook page wrote. No fuss. No mess.

Saturday is April Fools' Day. For some, April 1 is the best day for jokes and pranks. But companies and brands walk a fine line to avoid backlash.

[blog post from 2021](https://www.virgin.com/branson-family/richard-branson-blog/april-fools-day). When it landed – the day before April Fools' Day because of weather, [The Christian Science Monitor reported](https://www.csmonitor.com/USA/2011/0401/April-Fool-s-Day-history-five-best-ever-pranks/Virgin-Galactic-invasion) – a door opened and someone wearing an E.T. [April Fools' Day](https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2023/03/31/april-fools-day-history/11576843002/) seems like the perfect time for pranks. The feature made "it easier to have the last word on any email," Google said, by adding a GIF of a yellow animated minion (from the animated "Despicable Me" and "Minion" movies) dropping a microphone. [The Wall Street Journal](https://www.wsj.com/articles/messaging-says-vw-usa-to-rebrand-itself-voltswagenheadquarters-says-not-so-fast-11617120111?mod=hp_lead_pos10) the announcement was an early April Fools' Day joke, other officials maintained the plan's veracity. "Thankfully, they soon joined in the fun and left with smiles on their faces." [Big name brands and companies](https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2022/04/01/april-fools-day-2022-pranks-products/7236609001/) often feel compelled to make their own mark on the foolish holiday. "(It) was a mistake," she said. But a bug added the Mic Drop to many emails unintentionally and it had to be turned off. After Taco Bell admitted the whole thing was a hoax, the company offered to donate $50,000 towards preservation of the bell. "And although he tried to inject humor in the way he phrased it, his 'Easter Eggs' pun wildly misfired." And if done well, it can create a very memorable moment for the brand," Rebecca Rosborough, global chief marketing officer for online brand management platform

April Fool's Day is one of the most fun-filled days of the calendar year, where you are actively encouraged to fool and prank your loved ones and friends.

It is guaranteed to make people laugh. You will be able to scare them completely, merely by placing a fake spider or alternate insect in an area they will see it, either their bed or food. Placing a whoopee cushion under someone's chair is a way to guarantee laughs. The beauty of this is there are no giveaway signs of shenanigans. You can change their phone screensaver to an embarrassing photo or even a screengrab of their current background, meaning they believe their device is no longer responding. It simulates the sound of flatulence, which quite frankly nobody grows out of finding funny.

Individuals, companies and organisations are all taking to social media to embrace the fun by playing hilarious jokes on unsuspecting people.

A spokesperson for the Mexican restaurant, famed for its iconic Chiquito sombreros, music and fiesta fun said: “The new range is the start of an ambitious project to use plant based foods to enhance the skin’s natural appearance. This was developed and became the first of the new range called Exfoli-guacamole, which is an Avocado cleanser made from fresh avocado, Mexican lime and a B-vitamin complex to boost brightness and dark eyes. The new service ‘Drone ‘n’ Deliver’ will allow people to order food wherever they are and then it will be delivered speedily to them via drone. A spokesperson for Chopstix said: “We’ve consistently had customers ask for their favourite dishes to be tinned to be taken away so they can be enjoyed later in the week, at weddings, birthdays and even enjoyed over Christmas in years to come. To mark its 75th anniversary as the UK's most loved crisp brand, Walkers are sharing the love with a brand new look. The chain has released Sweet and Sour Chicken, Sweet Chilli Prawns, and Caramel Drizzle Chicken in cans, which have all been designed to stay fresh for more than 50 years. Store manager, Clair Jordans, said: "This is a fantastic initiative from Thorpe Park to utilise the lost and not-found unclaimed shoes. In its place will be a King Charles Spaniel as the paint company pays homage to King Charles III’s Coronation on May 6. Katie Georgeson, Marketing Manager at 4lite, said: “Poor sleep quality is a huge problem for millions of people in the UK, with many suffering from interrupted sleep patterns due to natural light seeping through curtains and blinds. Sasha Storey, Frankie & Benny’s Head of Brand, said: "At Frankie & Benny’s we believe that innovative tech will allow us to be the market leader with this new food delivery system. Based on KAYAK’s unique algorithm of flight data and user reviews, the new feature 'Silent Flights' will help travellers easily search for flights that have a higher likelihood to offer a calm and interruption-free atmosphere. The Chatty Cathys of the world can also seek solace knowing they’ll be able to talk away to their hearts desire during their flight without the fear of judgement and eyerolls from fellow passengers.

Those who take the annual tradition very seriously may have been planning their prank for months. But sometimes the simplest jokes are the best and have maximum ...

To do this, fill a glass with water and then put a card over the top. When the light gets turned on, it will look like there's a huge spider waiting to pounce. They'll be waiting for a text that will never arrive... If you have a family member or housemate working from home at the moment, download a picture of a cracked screen and set it as the screensaver on their laptop. Those who take the annual tradition very seriously may have been planning their prank for months. The water will be trapped inside the glass - and there'll be no way to pick it up without spilling it everywhere. Edit a picture of yourself so it looks like you've got a large tattoo of their name somewhere conspicuous - like your face, neck or forearm - but make sure there's a spelling error or mistake in the 'tattoo'. This will dye the water as it flows out of the tap, giving your unsuspecting victim a big shock! Start up a friendly text conversation with one of your friends, then halfway through send them a gif of the typing dots. If you’ve got time before your victim eats breakfast, fill a bowl with cereal and milk, half-submerge a spoon - and then put it in the freezer. Serve it up to your victim when it’s frozen and watch as they struggle to work out why they can't budge the spoon or eat their breakfast... This one is quick and easy: simply swap over two (or more) bags of cereal before your family gets up in the morning.

As April Fool's pranks go, the NZ Police did not disappoint, this 1st day of April. But the same can't be said for KFC, who got (some) whānau hearts...

Oohhahahaha who would've thought?" "Then [I] remembered it's April 1st..." "WT actual F? Then there goes the rest of the snapper population," said one person. Hook Line & Sinker!" #aprilfools".

Today is April Fool's Day and the perfect time for some harmless fun on your family, friends and co-workers. Here are 10 funny ideas for pranks and jokes to ...

To do this, fill a glass with water and then put a card over the top. Text a family member and tell them you've had a tattoo done in their honour. They won't know how to tell you you've made such a permanent mistake. Edit a picture of yourself so it looks like you've got a large tattoo of their name somewhere conspicuous - like your face, neck or forearm. Be aware though - only attempt this one if you don't mind mopping. They'll be waiting for a text that will never arrive. If you have a family member or housemate working from home at the moment, you can download a picture of a cracked screen and set it as the screensaver on their laptop. To make it even better, make sure there's a spelling error or mistake in the 'tattoo'. This will dye the water as it flows out of the tap, giving your unsuspecting victim a shock. Serve it up to your victim and watch as they struggle to work out why they can't budge the spoon or eat their breakfast. For a quick and easy breakfast prank, just swap over two (or more) bags of cereal before your household gets up in the morning. If you're preparing breakfast for someone else, fill a bowl with cereal and milk, half-submerge a spoon and then put it in the freezer.

Today is April Fool's Day and it is the perfect time for some harmless fun on your family, friends and co-workers.

When your target gets up to use the toilet or make a cup of tea, they'll come back and be thoroughly confused to see their screen apparently shattered. To do this, fill a glass with water and then put a card over the top. You can change all the clocks in your house - including your family's devices - moving them forward or back one hour. If you're preparing breakfast for someone special, why not fill a bowl with cereal and milk, half-submerge a spoon and then put it in the freezer. Text a family member and tell them you've had a tattoo done in their honour. Be aware though - only attempt this one if you don't mind mopping. They won't know how to tell you you've made such a permanent mistake. This is a good prank if you're [articularly tech savvy, and good with photo editing. Edit a picture of yourself so it looks like you've got a large tattoo of their name somewhere conspicuous - like your face, neck or forearm. They'll be waiting for a text that will never arrive. It's an annual tradition in many countries across the world and sees families, friends and co-workers enjoying harmless fun. If you have a family member or housemate who uses their computer or laptop today, you can download a picture of a cracked screen and set it as the screensaver on their laptop.

Ant and Dec, McDonald's and the Royal Albert Hall all got in on the April Fools action. Here, MailOnline rounds up the daftest pranks pulled this April ...

The Cornish way of preparing scones (left) sees jam put on first then clotted cream 'It doesn't solve the issue but it gives driver more time to react. The change-up is said to be in homage to King Charles' Coronation on May 6, with a mock-up of a red paint tin labelled Coronation Velvet shared by the brand. The change-up is said to be in homage to King Charles' Coronation on May 6, with a mock-up of a red paint tin labelled Coronation Velvet shared by the brand With one hailing from the shores of the Caribbean and the other from Cumbernauld, these two drinks make a very unlikely pairing - perhaps too unlikely for some to believe. The fast-food chain claimed today that it is launching the must have of the season - the 'Big McNugget Boot' WalesOnline's report that some parts of the M4 motorway are to become the slowest in the world is likely to have wound up a few motorists today. A fake news report shared by the pair read: 'Ant and Dec have confirmed they are in talks* to join the cast of the next instalment in the James Bond franchise. Ant and Dec say they are in talks to join the cast of the next James Bond movie, as Bond fans eagerly await an announcement on who the new Bond will be. Ant and Dec say they are in talks to join the cast of the next James Bond movie, as Bond fans eagerly await an announcement on who the new Bond will be The game was given away by the name of the venue's former boss - O'Follipar - previously known to have struck on this day The game was given away by the name of the venue's former boss - O'Follipar - previously known to have struck on this day.

For decades, the first of April has been a day in which the public is tricked into believing crazy hoaxes — and is surprised by lighthearted pranks.

Another infamous gag on April Fools' Day occurred in the U.K. Therefore, hundreds of people called the network asking how to grow their own spaghetti trees before the BBC clarified it was a prank. The network ran a report on April Fools' Day that featured a Swiss family harvesting a record number of spaghetti crops from a purported "spaghetti tree." [CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTER](https://www.foxnews.com/newsletters?cmpid=fnfirstnl) Federal Treasury building in Washington, D.C. citizens during this period had limited knowledge of pasta.

But not every well-meaning prank turns out like the trickster intends - and some go horribly wrong. From a UFO scare that alarmed the army to terribly ...

"In the end, she had to do the whole interview with her face completely blue hahahaha. But their friend went away for a week and they soon forgot about their mischievous act. Thankfully, they soon joined in the fun and left with smiles on their faces." Based in Peru, the academic explained the prank worked so well because his friend and flatmate used blue-tinted sun cream. But to her dismay, her boyfriend replied: "Thank God you said it first so I didn't have to." Here's hoping the trickster learned her lesson. But the maverick billionaire should have said no to a ET (ok, somebody in an ET costume!) walked down the platform towards the policeman. The pranksters didn't make the situation any better for themselves either. Fast forward to her return, it was only when they heard a scream in the shower and she emerged with a blue face that they realised their error. "The UFO's door opened very slowly, with plenty of dry ice billowing from it. Luckily, we can look back and enjoy them now.