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We can all agree that April Fools’ Day is a lot of fun. It’s the one day each year when it’s perfectly appropriate for even the best behaved among us to play pranks on our friends, test our ability to fib with a straight face, and set our inner mischief-makers free. But where did April Fools’ Day come from? How long have people been celebrating? And, how do they celebrate April Fools’ Day in other countries? We’ve done some digging to answer these questions and more. Here is some background on the history of April Fools’ Day that’s sure to surprise you.
How it All Began
The origins of April Fools’ Day are actually the subject of much debate. Experts have long suspected that the holiday might originate from the period when there was a shift from the Julian calendar (when the new year started on April 1st) to the Georgian calendar (with the new year starting on January 1st). This shift happened in the 1500s; those who did not know about the shift to the new system were mocked as fools.
Another theory is that the holiday emerged from the ancient Roman day of jokes called Festival of Hilaria, which was held to commemorate the vernal equinox and honor the Anatolian Earth Goddess.
We may never know the real history of how April Fools’ Day came to be celebrated around the world, so don’t be fooled by those who claim to know the truth.
Around the World
While we love April Fools’ Day here in the states, we certainly aren’t the only ones who celebrate a day of jokes and hijinks. In France, April 1st is referred to as “Poisson d’Avril,” which literally translates to “April Fish.” French children have been known to prank their friends by taping pictures of fish onto their backs.
In Belgium, children lock their parents out of the house or teachers out of the classroom and refuse to let them back in until they offer up a treat for ransom.
In England, instead of being called a fool, you might be referred to as a “noodle,” “noddy,” “gobby,” or a “gob.”
In Portugal, where April Fools’ Day is celebrated on the Sunday and Monday before lent, it's not uncommon to have someone throw a handful of baking flour in your face.
Foolish Fiction
You might be surprised to learn that April Fools’ Day has made an impression on the literary world. In fact, the earliest recorded reference to April Fools’ Day occurred in Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales, in 1392. Later, Mark Twain would famously say about the holiday, “This is the day upon which we are reminded of what we are on the other three hundred and sixty-four.” (Pudd’nhead Wilson, 1894)
Famous April Fools’ Day Jokes Throughout History
Playing pranks on April Fools’ Day is nothing new. In fact, the first documented prank in honor of the holiday dates back to the 18th century, when gullible visitors would be invited to journey to the Tower of London to view the washing of the lions, which would never occur.
In 1957, the BBC broadcasted a spoof documentary about spaghetti crops in Switzerland that featured footage of a Swiss family harvesting strands of spaghetti from a field and laying them out to dry. Millions fell for the gag, calling the network to find out how to grow their own spaghetti plants.
Google has carried out many well-known April Fools’ pranks over the years, including the introduction of the fictional Google Wallet Mobile ATM in 2013. Google claimed this item could attach to your smartphone and dispense money anytime, anywhere, without an ATM. Google has such a history of elaborate April Fools’ Day hoaxes that when Gmail was released on April 1st, 2004, many assumed it was just another joke. The resulting confusion created a flurry of free publicity, which is what the company undoubtedly had in mind all along.
No matter how you choose to celebrate, April Fools’ Day is the perfect opportunity to enjoy some laughter with friends and coworkers. Most of us spend a lot of time taking life pretty seriously, and while that can help you get ahead, allowing yourself a few moments of laughter and fun each day is also important for helping you lead a balanced, happy, and healthy life.
Companies put a great deal of time and energy into plan exciting and rich social events, community service activities, and employee experiences, but companies rarely include strong company culture and how it’s created among their achievements. Rather than overlook cultural and community events, companies should recognize and laud these rituals as major wins. Social activities, team building, and philanthropic initiatives unite teams, reinforce values, and improve employee morale. They help team members feel connected and remind them that they are so much more than cogs in a revenue-making machine. After all, employees spend more time with their work families than their real families, and it’s natural to want that time to be meaningful.
Companies with a robust company culture are linked to a lower turnover rate, according to a Columbia University study, which can impact morale and, more importantly, productivity. Happy employees devote more of themselves to their jobs, and strong business values help breed passion for the company and work, which supports employee longevity.
Business values can shape the way employees view their work and the objectives they are expected to achieve. When companies promote collaboration, creativity, and encourage employees to freely share their ideas, it often pays off in the form of innovative thinking that can help power more rapid organizational growth.
Believe it or not, company culture can have a direct impact on the bottom line. According to research by the University of California, happy employees have been found to be more productive. According to the study, these employees were 31% more productive and delivered 37% higher sales. Business values can improve employee engagement, which not only leads to greater performance, but also a better quality final product.
As companies seek out up-and-coming talent, it is to their benefit to consider the values of those they hope to recruit. Millennials choose companies the same way they choose products: based on beliefs. They want to work for companies that have strong business values and whose cultural values connect with their own.
While all companies want to be recognized for the results they produce, culture can often be the factor that helps companies standout in a crowded marketplace. Consumers are often most loyal to brands that appeal to their own sense of values, and clients like to hire companies that will reflect well on them. Companies that adopt sustainable manufacturing practices, for instance, can incorporate responsible manufacturing into their brand identity to edge out the competition with environmentally conscious customers and clients.
Strong business values can help to reduce internal politics, support greater alignment with company goals, and enable a clear understanding of processes and approaches. Employees at companies with a strong company culture quickly understand “the way we do things here” and reduce wasted effort. Companies like Cydcor, where open and candid communication is ingrained in the business's values, can benefit from reduced bureaucracy and empower their team members to resolve conflicts through direct and constructive conversation.
At Cydcor, we value our company culture as a critical part of what drives our organization. We recently created this video looking back at a year of cultural events that included a company-wide day in the field, department volunteer days at local charities community service events, participation in corporate games and sports competitions, a community health fair, a wine tasting evening, and celebrations of diverse holidays from Halloween to Diwali. Cydcor believes that engaging our team members in rich cultural experiences and creating a shared set of company values has been one of our many secrets to success.
Company culture is so much more than holiday parties and picnics. It is the route through which team members find their place in an organization. Culture helps employees feel that they are part of a company, not just working for one. It gives their work purpose, connects them with their teams, and helps them feel invested in something much larger and more important than the daily grind. By investing in and nurturing business values, organizations can create an environment that helps employees perform at their best.
Once again this year, Cydcor team members organized a Thanksgiving Food Drive where several Cydcor employees donated and delivered food to families in need.
Cydcor’s Thanksgiving Food Drive was organized to benefit Earths Magnet Elementary School in Newbury Park, CA. The National Wildlife Federation Fund has recognized this school as one of the Top 10 Eco-Schools in the country, meaning that it uses environmental education as a platform for teaching students about technology, engineering, and math. Students learn the importance of creating sustainable businesses. Working with the support of the school, Cydcor encourages community sustainability with this annual food drive. Being able to provide families in need with a Thanksgiving dinner year-after-year allows the Cydcor team to support people in a meaningful way.
Cydcor employees readily volunteer because they’re organized, skilled at getting things done, and ready to take on any opportunity they meet—especially if it’s one that helps struggling families and strengthens community connections.
“It is amazing to see a group of people come together and be so passionate about helping others in need. Holidays are about spending time with loved ones, and I am happy we can contribute and make a difference for these families,” explained one Cydcor volunteer.
Many Cydcor employees donated food and raised enough money to provide meals for 90 families. In addition, Cydcor’s executive team donated a total of $1,800 through payroll deductions, which allowed the organizers to purchase $20 Vons gift cards for each family.
Cydcor has taken the time to examine the true meaning of Thanksgiving bounty and thankfulness. The annual Thanksgiving Food Drive expresses the company’s core values and commitment to caring for community members suffering difficult times. Cydcor continues its tradition of nurturing the community and turning need into an opportunity—so that families in need can see a future that is just a little bit brighter.
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