April Fool’s Day is celebrated every year on April 1 (Credit: gstudioimagen1/ CC-BY-SA-2.0/ Freepik)
For pranksters, no holiday tops April Fools’ Day. Celebrated annually on April 1, it is the one day of the year when lighthearted tricks are not just accepted — they are welcomed. The origin of this fun tradition is unclear. Some believe it began in 1582 when the world moved from the Julian calendar — which started the new year around April 1 — to the Gregorian calendar. Others think it began as a way to celebrate the arrival of spring.
Regardless of its origin, April Fools’ Day is celebrated worldwide. Even companies join in with elaborate pranks that fool people for hours or even days. Here are a few of our favorites from past years.
Virgin Australia’s “Kids Class” cabin
In 2016, Virgin Australia announced the introduction of a “Kids Class” cabin. The adult-free zone offered perks like seats designed for kids to easily kick the one in front. Also included was a special teddy bear to provide comfort. The young passengers could even play hopscotch down the aisles to burn off excess energy. The only catch? This exciting news was revealed on April Fools’ Day!
Box Shoe by Adidas
Adidas is known for its innovative sneakers, but none were as unusual as the Box Shoe unveiled in 2024. Shaped like a shoebox, it featured a cut-out with a flap, forming the opening and tongue, along with thick laces stitched on top. To make the concept convincing, the company even created a product page on its website. The only clue that it was a hoax? The product code: AF0104 — a nod to April Fools’ Day, April 1.
BBC’s spaghetti harvest
The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) was the first television network to stage an April 1 prank. In 1957, its popular current affairs show, Panorama, aired a special segment. It claimed that a mild winter and the eradication of the harmful spaghetti weevil had led to a record spaghetti harvest. The episode featured women joyfully picking long pasta strands from trees. Many viewers believed the hoax and called in, eager to learn how to grow their own spaghetti trees. They were told to “stick a dry piece of pasta in a can of tomato sauce and keep their fingers crossed.”
Burger King’s single fry
In 2016, fast-food giant Burger King’s French division announced a new menu item — a carefully-wrapped single fry. To accommodate hungry diners, the offering came in three sizes: small, medium, and large. Luckily, for French fry lovers, it was just an April Fools’ prank!
Happy Fools’ Day!
Resources: footwearnews.com, BBC.com, CNN.com, USmagazine.com
