Unlikemostoftheothernonfoolishholidays,thehistoryofAprilFool'sDay,sometimescalledAllFool'sDay,isnottotallyclear.Therereallywasn'ta"firstAprilFool'sDay"thatcanbepinpointedonthecalendar.Somebelieveitsortofevolvedsimultaneouslyinseveralculturesatthesametime,fromcelebrationsinvolvingthefirstdayofspring. 　　Theclosestpointintimethatcanbeidentifiedasthebeginningofthistraditionwasin1582,inFrance.Priortothatyear,thenewyearwascelebratedforeightdays,beginningonMarch25.ThecelebrationculminatedonApril1.WiththereformofthecalendarunderCharlesIX,theGregorianCalendarwasintroduced,andNewYear'sDaywasmovedtoJanuary1. 　　However,communicationsbeingwhattheywereinthedayswhennewstraveledbyfoot,manypeopledidnotreceivethenewsforseveralyears.Others,themoreobstinatecrowd,refusedtoacceptthenewcalendarandcontinuedtocelebratethenewyearonApril1.Thesebackwardfolkwerelabeledas"fools"bythegeneralpopulace.Theyweresubjecttosomeridicule,andwereoftensenton"foolserrands"orweremadethebuttofotherpracticaljokes. 　　Thisharassmentevolved,overtime,intoatraditionofprank-playingonthefirstdayofApril.ThetraditioneventuallyspreadtoEnglandandScotlandintheeighteenthcentury.ItwaslaterintroducedtotheAmericancoloniesofboththeEnglishandFrench.AprilFool'sDaythusdevelopedintoaninternationalfunfest,sotospeak,withdifferentnationalitiesspecializingintheirownbrandofhumorattheexpenseoftheirfriendsandfamilies. 　　InScotland,forexample,AprilFool'sDayisactuallycelebratedfortwodays.Theseconddayisdevotedtopranksinvolvingtheposteriorregionofthebody.ItiscalledTailyDay.Theoriginofthe"kickme"signcanbetracedtothisobservance. 　　Mexico'scounterpartofAprilFool'sDayisactuallyobservedonDecember28.Originally,thedaywasasadremembranceoftheslaughteroftheinnocentchildrenbyKingHerod.Iteventuallyevolvedintoalightercommemorationinvolvingpranksandtrickery. 　　PranksperformedonAprilFool'sDayrangefromthesimple,(suchassaying,"Yourshoe'suntied!),totheelaborate.Settingaroommate'salarmclockbackanhourisacommongag.Whatevertheprank,thetricksterusuallyendsitbyyellingtohisvictim,"AprilFool!" 　　PracticaljokesareacommonpracticeonAprilFool'sDay.Sometimes,elaboratepracticaljokesareplayedonfriendsorrelativesthatlasttheentireday.Thenewsmediaevengetsinvolved.Forinstance,aBritishshortfilmonceshownonAprilFool'sDaywasafairlydetaileddocumentaryabout"spaghettifarmers"andhowtheyharvesttheircropfromthespaghettitrees. 　　AprilFool'sDayisa"for-fun-only"observance.Nobodyisexpectedtobuygiftsortotaketheir"significantother"outtoeatinafancyrestaurant.Nobodygetsoffworkorschool.It'ssimplyafunlittleholiday,butaholidayonwhichonemustremainforevervigilant,forhemaybethenextAprilFool!