April Fool's Day

April Fool's Day History

April Fool's Day, also known as All Fool's Day, is marked by practical jokes and hoaxes aimed at surprising or fooling unsuspecting people. Activities during this observance range from simple benign jokes to complex pranks involving multiple people. Often amusing and harmless, these playful hoaxes are perpetrated by individuals, media organizations, and even corporations, with all parties appreciating the spirit of the day.

The origins of April Fool's Day are unclear, but it is generally believed to have been inspired by various ancient festivals and traditions centered on merrymaking and amusement. For Kiwis, April Fool's Day lands in the middle of Autumn, juxtaposing its mirth and levity against the somber fall atmosphere. Notably, New Zealanders apply their characteristic wittiness and humor to April Fool's Day pranks, making it a significant cultural event. For example, one of the most prominent hoaxes in New Zealand was made in 1949 when a local radio station falsely announced that a mile-wide wasp swarm was heading towards Auckland, causing quite a stir among the residents.

In New Zealand, observations are generally light-hearted, with friends, families, and workplaces engaging each other in jest and tomfoolery. Media outlets often participate, broadcasting tongue-in-cheek “breaking news” stories to fool their audiences. From rural towns to bustling cities, Kiwis of all ages enjoy the playful hijinks, making it a unique day where laughter, creativity, and camaraderie take center stage. April Fool’s Day is celebrated on April 1st each year.

Facts about April Fool's Day

• For April Fool's Day 2022, 7-Eleven announced a new product line named Tiny Gulp. The Tiny Gulp holds 0.7 ounces and only cost 7 cents, perfect for those who want a tiny taste of soda or slushie.
• in 2023, Duolingo announced their "Duolingo for Pets" program, teaching pets new languages with the help of birdseed and catnip rewards.
  For April Fool's Day 2022, Twitter announced that they are working on an “Edit-Tweet” button, which would let users go back to previous tweets to correct typos.
• In 1975, the New Zealand television program, 'Country Calendar,' carried out a prank that claimed farmers were growing spaghetti in an effort to reduce the country’s pasta import. The show featured footage of workers carefully harvesting the spaghetti from trees.
• In 1974, an Auckland radio station tricked many listeners by announcing that the powers of the city had decided to have Auckland traffic switch from driving on the left to driving on the right, in order to align with the United States and much of Europe.

In the News and Trending in NZ for April Fool's Day

Top things to do in NZ for April Fool's Day

• Stay on guard! You will surely be the victim of a prank during April Fools' Day, so be extra-careful of pranksters looming around you.
• One of the best ways to fool someone on April Fools' Day is to call them first thing in the morning. This way, they are less likely to realize that it is April Fools' Day. Our top 3 phone call pranks:
  1) Breaking news - create a fictional breaking news item about politics, celebrities, events in your city, etc.
  2) You're late for work - tell your friend that the time is 11AM and they aren't at work or school yet.
  3) Escaped monkey - a monkey from the local zoo is wandering in the backyard. You just saw a news clip of the monkey on the local news.
• Visit the Arrowtown Autumn Festival: Located in the historic gold mining town of Arrowtown, this festival features a parade, market days, historic walks, and concerts.
• Wellington Zoo Overnight Stays: Wellington Zoo once offered an April Fool's promo where they encouraged visitors to have overnight stays with lions.