The Origin of April Fool's Day

The origins of April Fool’s day remain somewhat mysterious, part of which is due to the reformulation of the wording. Current usage puts the possessive on the word fool which means the day belongs to the fool or is a day for the fool.

April 1st, April Fool’s Day, is traditionally a day for the prankster, a time to cast others into the part of the fool. It is generally all light-hearted fun with many fools running amok for a short time.

The early origins of April Fool’s day date back to Germanic Mythology and the Goddess Eostre. Our word Easter derives from the word Eostre. Eostre was in part a goddess of fertility and spring.

Spring rites and rituals celebrate the end of the long winter and rebirth of life, a time for breaking free. Eostre’s (April's) Fool was much like you see today. People go a little wild, get “Spring Fever” and do some crazy things in celebration of life – take off clothes, dance around fires, head to Florida for Spring Break, Girls Gone Wild. It seems like some things don’t change.

The heathen in us longs to break free!

Image: Spring - (Courtesy of Tradestone International)