Did you see our Instagram posts about our new Belgian-inspired Brussels Sprouts flavour posted on April 1st? Well, guess what? We’re not producing any such thing! APRIL FOOL! We wouldn’t subject you to that. Brussels Sprouts are reserved for Christmas, and Christmas only!
But what is April Fools’ Day and what are its origins?
Like so many dates in the British calendar, its roots remain a bit of a mystery.
Some historians attribute its origins to France and the fact that April 1st used to be the first day of the year until it was changed to January 1st when the Julian calendar switched to the Gregorian calendar. Because the world was a bit of a different place in the 16th Century and information wasn’t so easy to come by, the people that didn’t know about the new system became the butt of jokes and hoaxes.
Others consider the origins of the date to be found in the bible. It is written that Noah mistakenly sent a dove out of the ark on the 1st April before the water had abated. To mark this error, the tradition began of sending messengers out on an unnecessary errand on 1st April.
Another origin story is from Ancient Rome where people dressed up in disguises to mark the festival of Hilaria at the end of March.
These days the date is marked with much hilarity throughout the media. The press prints nonsense stories and social media is awash with pranks, such as the British Transport Police’s Tweet yesterday:
Did you fall for our prank? Or were you disappointed that we’re not producing a Brussels Sprouts flavoured children snack?
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