April Fool's Day is around the corner, coinciding with this Easter Sunday this year. It is a tradition in Western societies to take part in pranks and trickery on April 1 every year, taken as an opportunity by many to inflict some quick humour into an otherwise ordinary day.
But how did the day begin – and how is it celebrated around the world today? Here is everything you need to know.
The first fool
The origins of the day are uncertain. One common April Fool's theory is that the tradition stems from the introduction of the Gregorian calendar in 1582 across continental Europe.
When Pope Gregory XIII called for New Year’s Day to be celebrated on January 1 instead of the end of March, the...