The origin of April Fool’s Day, the holiday that delights those who love to play practical jokes, is a mystery, although it is believed to have had its beginnings in France sometime during the 1500s. No one is safe from pranks, practical jokes, and hoaxes on this day when humor reigns.
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There have been some amazing hoaxes down through the years. Some of the most famous (and most unbelievable) are talked about below. Any of these could be used as a basis for a great story for children or adults. Face it, these hoaxes were believed by adults too.
Homegrown spaghetti? Wouldn’t it be wonderful if you could actually grow spaghetti on trees? On April 1, 1957, the BBC news show Panorama had people believing that such a thing was possible. How did they do this? They broadcast a three-minute segment about a bumper spaghetti harvest in Switzerland. There was even a video of a Swiss family pulling the pasta off of the trees. Hundreds of people phoned BBC and wanted to know how to grow their own spaghetti tree.
Does Nessie really exist? Headlines around the world on the morning of April 1, 1972, seemed to be proof that she really had existed. They declared the body of Nessie had been found. It wasn’t Nessie but was instead the body of a bull elephant seal that had been made to look like the legendary sea monster.
whistling carrots, hoaxes.org
In 2002, the British supermarket chain Tesco pulled a fast one on the people of Britain. They ran an ad that claimed the development of a whistling carrot. How could a carrot whistle? They had supposedly been genetically engineered to grow with airholes in the side that would whistle when they were fully cooked.
April 1, 1973, brought some really distressing news for redheads. According to an interview with a supposedly elderly academic on BBC radio, Dutch Elm disease would immunize people to the common cold, but there was a rather aggravating side effect for redheads. Exposure to this disease would cause their red hair to turn yellow and eventually fall out. Those with red hair were advised to stay away from forests.
White Shepherd, wikipedia
April 1, 1965, was not so good for dogs in Denmark. A Danish newspaper announced that a new law had been passed by the Danish parliament: all dogs must be painted white. What was the reasoning behind this outrageous new law? White dogs could more easily be seen at night, so it was supposed to increase road safety.
Have you ever dreamed of being able to control the weather? In 1981, the British newspaper The Guardian reported that scientists at the research labs in Pershore, Britain had developed a machine that would do just that.
Wireless internet allows you to have internet on any computer in your home. What if such a thing as total home remote electricity existed? Wouldn’t that be even more awesome? In 1999, the executives at 130 major companies received packages of information about just such a product. It supposedly allowed electricity to be beamed to any part of a house, even the roof. About 30 of the executives called the included phone number to enquire about this product.
Boston Common, wikimedia commons
The April Fool’s joke on April 1, 1840, attracted a crowd of treasure seekers. After all, wouldn’t any of us go somewhere if treasure was certain to be found there? On this day for hoaxes and pranks, the Boston Post reported that a cave full of treasure had been discovered beneath Boston Common.
I wonder how many people went to Boston Common with shovels to dig up the ground and search for treasure. I am curious to know how many of them started digging before the hoax was made known.
Over the years, there have been many reports from people who claim to have seen statues of the Virgin Mary weeping. On April 1, 1995, there was a report of a different statue weeping. In Cariago, Italy, a statue of Lenin reportedly had milky white tears rolling down its metal cheeks. A crowd gathered to witness this spectacular event, and they remained until it was revealed to be a hoax.
Eiffel Tower from Trocadero, wikimedia commons
April 1, 1986, French citizens were stunned when the Parisien reported an agreement had been signed to dismantle and move the Eiffel Tower. It was to be moved and put back together at a new Euro Disney theme park outside of Paris. What about where the Eiffel Tower used to stand? A stadium that would seat 35,000 people was to be built for use during the 1992 Olympic Games.
Which one of the above hoaxes is your favorite? Which one are you going to write about?
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