The origin of April 1st as a day for pranks and practical jokes is something of a mystery. The most commonly cited explanation is that it goes back to the 1500s when France switched from the Julian calendar to the Gregorian calendar, moving the new year from April to January. People in rural areas who were slow to get the news and continued to celebrate New Year in the spring were called April Fools. But this story is something of a hoax itself. There are references to April 1st as a day for pranks and jokes that date well before the 16th century.
But whatever its origins, the custom continues. And with the advent of the internet and social media, pranks and hoaxes now reach a worldwide audience. Advertisers who had been wary of participating in April Fools' Day are now creating hoax videos for products.
Alex Boese is curator of the onlineMuseum of Hoaxes in San Diego, California. He joined Dakota Midday and discussed the history of April Fools' Day and some classic hoaxes, including the Swiss spaghetti harvest.