Always a joking agenda on the 1st of April

One explanation for the custom of making jokes on April 1 would be the decision taken in 1564 to start the new year on 1st of January and not April 1st.

At that time in France, the habit was made to tell stories to laugh and put fake fish, symbolizing the end of Lent, to people who continued to celebrate the New Year on April 1, regardless of the new calendar.

The "April Fool" was born. If the custom to give false fish  (cloth, paper) declined,  making jokes remains popular.T

his custom of making jokes exist in many other countries, the US and the UK , in Germany Aprilscherz but also in Denmark, Belgium, Canada, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Switzerland, Sweden and Finland. In Russia it is called "Day of Fools", Romania "deception / deceit April 1", Portugal and Brazil "Day of lies."