By Emily

It's April 2nd and maybe some of you have fallen victim to pranks on April 1st.

But did you know the story behind April Fools Day? 

Apparently it goes back to the 16th century when France switched from the Julian calendar to the Gregorian calendar. In the previous calendar, New Years was celebrated on April 1st.

Those who were not informed about the new calendar change continued to celebrate New Years in April instead of January. Thus they were called "April Fools" and other people would pull pranks on them. 

You can check out this short video for more details. 

The History of April Fools Day

You can also read this article History's Greatest April Fools Jokes from National Geographic. There's for example the Swiss Spaghetti Harvest.

In France, there's the particular tradition of sticking paper fish on people's back. Schoolchildren particularly do this! 

In the past, French people would send each other funny cards on April 1st, wishing for good fortune, love, friendship or happiness. 

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