April Fool's Day ("practical jokes"/pranks)

[tree]

I don't enjoy people tricking other people.
Had a relative who lived to pull what he called "practical jokes."
Saran-wrapping all the furniture, for example.

And there were kids at school who liked telling girls that "Today is dress up day at school." (flip her skirt over her head)

I've seen directions for caramel coating onions to give away at Hallowe'en.
That sort of thing.

But what about you?
How do you feel about stuff like that?

 

[The Penguin]

I find it a pointless day. However, it seems there people get pleasure from this type of thing.

 

[zurb]

Many 'Practical jokes' are similar to those hundreds of 'let's all laugh at someone else's misfortune' videos. Only funny if you're not the victim. And don't confuse 'funny' with 'bullying'.
If you like doing practical jokes, you have to be willing to receive them. Unfortunately, this often isn't the case!
However, in my experience April fools was always pretty harmless. At school it was a half day of 'your shoelace is undone/fly is open' and newspapers print funny articles.

 

[Tia Maria]

I don't enjoy people tricking other people.
Had a relative who lived to pull what he called "practical jokes."
Saran-wrapping all the furniture.
Telling a little girl that "Today is dress up day at school." (flip her skirt over her head)
Caramel coating onions to give away at Hallowe'en.
That sort of thing.

But what about you?
How do you feel about stuff like that?

I have to say that anyone who hands out caramel coated onions on Halloween is either extremely brave or .... ! That is not nice to do to little kids, & the older kids will probably pay your house a return visit when you're sleeping!

 

[ExplosiveTMT]

It is humourous.
My cup of cocoa then.

 

[IContainMultitudes]

I'm pretty much in agreement with this:

 

[tree]

On the other hand, I enjoy reading/viewing parodies, satire, (stand-up) comedy. The Onion, for instance. And many posts on reddit are funny or informative.

But I don't enjoy 'practical jokes' which are themed to make a person look foolish, frightened, or just re-inforce the "joker's" sense of superiority. A person who has to keep proving that he is the smartest, probably isn't.

 

[Suiseiseki]

Last time someone pulled a practical joke on me I threw him at a garbage can and he had to beg for mercy by offering magic cards so I wouldn't start stomping his chest.
I don't have much of a sense of humour, especially not in high school

 

[Harrison]

I dislike April Fools day, the pagan in me prefers the idea of All Fools day

 

[nikkitabear]

I don't like pranks either, especially not ones meant to ridicule. Absurdity sometimes works for me as a joke.

I have gotten fooled more than once by fake news reports on NPR on April Fools day ( a tradition there, I found out). I always forget that it is April Fools Day, and I am extremely gullible. I got really outraged about a fake report one year about some kind of absurd government waste. Later they admitted it was a joke. That kind is not so bad because no one is there laughing at me. I can just wonder at how credulous I am sometimes.

 

[Meistersinger]

The best jokes I ever read (and it took me several years to figure out the name of the company) were in the now-defunct Audio magazine. Every April they would have an extensive review of the latest audio gear coming from Lirpa Labs, which was the brainchild of one I. Lirpa. The equipment specs were always extremely horrendous, as well as the equipment's performance. And I always thought musicians were strange...

 

[Meistersinger]

I dislike April Fools day, the pagan in me prefers the idea of All Fools day

The only reason there is an April Fool's day is because of the Liturgical Calendar. After the Great Schism, the Eastern Rite Church (Greek, Russian, Copt, etc) kept celebrating the New Year's on April 1, while the Western Rite Church (Rome) moved the New Year to January 1. Hence, the old believers (the Eastern Rite Church were referred to as fools.

 

[King_Oni]

April fools day.. because even sociopaths need their own holiday

 

[zurb]

Two of my favourites:
The Guardian's reports on the country of San Serriffe.
The Press' reports on Air Ponga Ponga.
Unfortunately, I can't find the latter on the internet, so can't confirm it's as good as I remember.

 

[IContainMultitudes]

One April Fools Day thin

I have gotten fooled more than once by fake news reports on NPR on April Fools day ( a tradition there, I found out).

Last year they did a story about Keanu Reeves directing and starring in a remake of Citizen Kane, that I have to admit, fooled me for a moment.

 

[AsheSkyler]

If both parties are willing, it can be fun. I'd like to see an April Fool's themed upside-down/haunted house just for one day each year full of gags, optical illusions, riddles, and stuff. The floor could be like some of those really good sidewalk chalk drawings.

I'm not a fan of the annoying things, like Vasolining a door handle or putting plastic wrap on the door.

The only reason there is an April Fool's day is because of the Liturgical Calendar. After the Great Schism, the Eastern Rite Church (Greek, Russian, Copt, etc) kept celebrating the New Year's on April 1, while the Western Rite Church (Rome) moved the New Year to January 1. Hence, the old believers (the Eastern Rite Church) were referred to as fools.

I gotta side with the Eastern Rite Church. It makes more sense to me to declare a new year at the beginning of spring than partway through winter.

 

[Tom]

As with most days I make no notice of any special significance. I might be aware of it, I might not, but am not motivated to participate. But I do like clever or silly pranks. They are a staple in the military and helped relieve the boredom or stress. But they can happen at any time.

 

[tree]

Today I learned about a tradition in Italy. The day of joking/pranks is theme-oriented there.
Possibly more benign for being themed and meant for children. I don't know.
Pesce d'Aprile! April Fool's Day In Italy

 

[wyverary]

I truly despise it, for all the reasons John Oliver mentioned in ICM's post.

Also, the Internet has definitely ruined whatever small merit April Fools Day may have had in the past, and I fail to see the humor in announcing you're pregnant on Facebook.

Humbug! lol

 

[Judge]

In all honesty it's a non-issue to me.