APRIL 1
APRIL FOOLS DAY
May I recommend taking a closer look at the Gregorian Calendar and the Julian Calendar. While countries now follow the Gregorian Calendar, many still use alternate calendars to mark holidays and cultural traditions. In China, the monthly calendar is Gregorian, but holidays are marked by the Lunar calendar, which is why Lunar New Year is not celebrated on January 1st.
Japan also uses the Gregorian calendar, but a new era starts when the Emperor changes. Less than a year ago on April 30, 2019, the Japanese era changed from Heisei to Reiwa when Emperor Akihito abdicated the throne, and Emperor Naruhito began his reign. Switching eras takes a lot of planning, time, and money. It was estimated that in 2019, changing the Era calendar cost the country over $4.3 million dollars!
Playing pranks can be fun, but make sure they are harmless! There are many ideas for April Fools pranks available on the web. You can find lots of pranks to play on both kids and adults - best always to follow up with a laugh and a hug!
In 1957, the BBC released a video of "The Great Spaghetti Harvest", joking that spaghetti grew on trees and was harvested by hand. The best pranksters around can be found in Cambridge, MA, at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Each year, students plan an elaborate prank, or hack, that leaves everyone wondering, "How did they do that?!"