FAQ. Do they have April Fools Day in Spain on 1st April?

Do they have April Fools' Day in Spain on 1st April? And what is 'Día de los Santos Inocentes' on 28th December?

No. Spain does not celebrate April fools day. April Fools is not a tradition in Spain.

A similar day on 28th December in Spain, Latin America and the Philippines called 'Día de los Santos Inocentes' or 'Holy Innocents.' When you have played a joke or prank on someone then you say 'inocente, inocente!' means means innocent or simple person.

The pranks are called 'bromas' or 'inocentadas.' The Day of the Innocents has a dark history from the Gospel of Matthew and the 'Massacre of the Innocents' by Herod the Great, the Roman-appointed King of the Jews. Herod ordered all infants under 2 years old in Bethlehem to be killed because he was afraid that the baby Jesus was the newborn King of the Jews as had been foreseen. The infant Jesus turned out to be in Egypt with Mary and Joseph so Herod had been tricked. This day became a day to trick your friends. and thus followed the tradition of tricking friends on that day.

What is the origin of April Fools Day?

April Fools' Day, sometimes called All Fools' Day, is an annual celebration that takes place on April 1st. The origins of the holiday are uncertain, but many historians believe it dates back to ancient Roman festivals, such as Hilaria, which were held in late March and involved masquerades and pranks. The Roman festival of Hilaria was a religious celebration held on March 25th in honor of the mother goddess Cybele. The festival was characterized by music, dancing, and masquerades, with participants wearing masks and costumes to represent various mythological characters.

According to some accounts, the Hilaria festival also included a tradition of playing pranks and jokes on one another, which may have contributed to the development of April Fools' Day. However, the exact nature of these pranks is not well-documented, and it is unclear whether they were similar to the modern-day pranks played on April 1st. The Hilaria festival was celebrated in Rome and other parts of the Roman Empire, and its influence can still be seen in modern-day celebrations such as Carnival and Mardi Gras.

Others believe that April Fools' Day dates back to the 16th century, when the Gregorian calendar was introduced which meant that New Year's Day was moved from April 1st to January 1st. People who continued to celebrate the old New Year's Day were mocked and tricked by those who followed the new calendar, leading to the tradition of playing pranks on April 1st.

Whatever its origins, April Fools' Day has become a popular holiday around the world, with people playing pranks and jokes on one another in a lighthearted and humorous manner. Newspaper and TV channels also get in on the joke by trying to fool readers with fake news stories. 

Here is a famous BBC April Fools' day news item from the 1957



1st April is anniversary of end of Spanish Civil War.

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Last Updated on Saturday, 01 April 2023 16:45
 
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