April Fool's Day

If you see footage of penguins flying, check your calendar. There's a good chance it's April 1! The first day of April each year is celebrated as April Fools' Day (sometimes called All Fools' Day).

Although it's not a legal holiday, April Fools' Day is celebrated all around the world as a day filled with practical jokes and general silliness. You may want to be a little more cautious or skeptical on April 1, since family members, friends, neighbors, co-workers, and even teachers may try to tickle your funny bone with a practical joke or a hoax of some kind.

Although we can't really pinpoint how or when April Fools' Day got its start, people the world over still celebrate it with glee year in and year out. Pranks can be quite simple, such as telling a friend his shoe is untied, or very elaborate, like some of the hoaxes described below.

Whatever the gag, it usually ends with the prankster yelling “April Fool!" when the victim falls for it