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Why doesn't Spain celebrate April Fools' Day?
The Spanish have their own practical joke day, but it's in December, not on April 1...
Every year on April 1, people in the English-speaking world become a little more sceptical about what they read and see online, and become wary of friends and family playing tricks on them. April Fools' Day is a time-honoured tradition where we play practical jokes on one another with hilarious (or sometimes unintentionally disastrous) consequences.
But you won't find that in Spain, at least not until about 8 months later. That's because the Spanish-speaking world – including Spain, Mexico, Argentina and more – does not observe April Fools' Day. Instead, they celebrate the Día de los Santos Inocentes on December 28 each year.
April Fools' Day vs Día de los Santos Inocentes
April Fools' Day is often thought to have origins in ancient Rome or Britain, but clear references to the tradition don't appear until the late Middle Ages. The first direct mention comes from a 1561 Flemish poem by Eduard De Dene, in which a servant realises a nobleman sent him on "fool's errands" because it was April 1. This suggests the tradition was established in the 1500s, though its exact origins remain unclear.
One theory links it to France's switch from the Julian to the Gregorian calendar, which moved New Year's celebrations from late March to January 1. Officially signed into law by King Charles IX in 1564, the change took time to spread. According to legend, those who still celebrated the old date of April 1 were mocked as "April fools", with pranks including fake invitations and foolish gifts.
In comparison, Spain's 'Day of the Holy Innocents' is the time when practical jokes and tricks will be played in Spain, and like most Spanish fiestas it has its roots in Catholic holy feast days. The relation is a bit flimsy, but the story goes that it relates to when the Three Wise Men tricked King Herod about Jesus's birth.
Furious at being duped and determined to kill the baby Jesus, the tyrant ordered that all male babies in Bethlehem under the age of two be murdered. Being so young when they were killed, the doomed infants were all without sin, thus they were known as 'los Santos Inocentes' or 'the Holy Innocents'. Pretty gruesome and not so laugh-a-minute as the modern day of trickery has become.
So now you know – if you try to play a trick on a Spaniard on April 1 they probably won't get the joke, but don't be surprised if they try to pull the wool over your eyes when December 28 rolls around!
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