CELEBRATIONS & HOLIDAYS
APRIL FOOLS' DAY: FOOLS AROUND THE WORLD
Here’s how people celebrate April Fools’ Day around the world. They may celebrate the day in slightly different ways but one thing is for sure – everyone is tired on 1st April because they’ve just done a 31-day March!
Britain
In most parts of Britain, April 1st is called April Fools’ Day or All Fools Day.

People can only play tricks before midday. Any tricks played after midday will bring the trickster bad luck.

If you are the victim of a trick then the trickster shouts “April Fool!”

In Scotland, people first celebrate ‘Gawkie Day’ and then ‘Taily Day’. April Fools are known as ‘April Gawks’, which is another name for a cuckoo.
France
In France, April Fools’ Day is called ‘Poisson d'Avril’, which means ‘April Fish’.

Children stick a paper fish to a friend’s back. When the friend finds out, the prankster yells "Poisson d'Avril!"
Spain
In Spain, the April Fools equivalent is called ‘El Día de Los Santos Inocentes’. This means the day of the ‘Innocent Saints’. It is celebrated on 28th December.
Portugal
In Portugal, tricksters have to wait until the Sunday and Monday before Lent, until they can practise the tradition of throwing flour at each other!
USA
In North America, April Fools’ Day is celebrated in the same way as in Britain.

In parts of South America, they celebrate ‘El Día de Los Santos Inocentes’, which is the same celebration as in Spain.
India
In India, the Feast of Huli occurs in March. The final day of Huli is 31st March, and is traditionally celebrated by acts of mischief.

One popular trick is to send someone on a ‘Fool’s Errand’. For example, you could send someone to a shop to buy a pot of elbow grease!

Similar customs are found in CHINA and JAPAN.