A fool finds no pleasure in understanding but delights in airing his own opinions.
Proverbs 18:2
April fools! Sorry. We just couldn’t help ourselves today. After all, this day has a long and colorful tradition.
In 1957 the BBC news announced that thanks to a very mild winter, Swiss farmers were enjoying a bumper spaghetti crop. It accompanied this announcement with footage of Swiss peasants pulling strands of spaghetti down from trees. Huge numbers of viewers called the BBC wanting to know how they could grow their own spaghetti tree.
The Taco Bell Corporation, in 1996, announced it had bought the Liberty Bell and was renaming it the Taco Liberty Bell. Hundreds of outraged citizens called the National Historic Park in Philadelphia to express their anger.
Six years later, Burger King published a full page advertisement in USA Today announcing the introduction of a new item to their menu: a “Left-Handed Whopper” specially designed for the 32 million left-handed Americans. According to the advertisement, all the condiments were rotated 180 degrees for the benefit of their left-handed customers. Thousands of customers went into restaurants to request the new sandwich.
It is the ability to take a joke, not make one, that proves you have a sense of humor. –Max Eastman
Of course, all of these were pranks played on April 1. The exact origin of the day is unknown, although some believe it could be based on a change to the Gregorian Calendar from the Julian Calendar and the resulting confusion that it created.
No matter its beginnings, April Fools’ Day provides ample opportunity for couples to have fun. In fact, did you know that this day also marks the beginning of National Couple Appreciation Month? It was founded to encourage couples to do something special and celebrate their relationship. And that’s no joke.
So on this April Fools’ Day we help you find a little levity in your relationship together – even if it comes from a silly prank. Why? Because laughter is good for the soul of your marriage.
Reflect and Respond
Ever played an April Fools’ joke on your spouse? What happened?
Go ahead, tell us in the comments.
Related Resource
God brings us soul-friends to help in our spiritual journey, sometimes in predictable places: small groups, friendships, and mentors. But they’re sometimes found in places we don’t expect. Whether it’s a hidden guide, a member of a small group, or a friend we’ve had for years, these soul-friends all hold the potential to embody grace that enables us to take a next step in the unfolding journey of our faith.
Best April Fools Prank I pulled on our entire family at one shot. Our children were little and I told them the school had contacted me and I had to check each of their heads for Lice. I carefully looked at each head and told them, yes indeed, they all had LICE! Oh they were freaked out…I didn’t carry it too much further and didn’t make them do the treatments- just gave a fun little scare. I will never forget that! My husband was probably more affected that the kids. We love to laugh in our family and are still pulling April Fools pranks to this day- after 32 years of marriage!
My parents were married on April 1st. My mother is 93. Unfortunately my father died about 6 yrs. ago.
I don’t know how they did it but managed to raise @ kids.
My husband often has this nightmare that someone has stolen his car. So this morning I got up a little earlier and hid the car behind a huge snowbank (yes we still have that much snow) out in front of our home. When he got up he went to the front window and looked out and spotted a car ariel behind the bank but didn’t think twice about it, until he opened the back door and noticed the car was missing. He laughed. But it didn’t end there, to his knowledge that was the end of the pranks…what he doesn’t know is that I only packed his lunch with empty containers and the ice pack! NO Lunch!!! ( But I did put in a little April Fools note with $10.00 to buy his lunch).
I guess I get it from my dad, he was born on April fool’s day and had a great scence of humour.
It’s fun to have fun with your mate!
Laughter is a core ingredient in our marriage.This is a trick that I have in place to play on my prankster husband tonight. Each of us keeps a (non-see through) thermos style container of cold water on our nightstand at bedtime. My husband recently lost the cap off his container but continues to use it, so it sits uncapped at night. A few nights ago he had a dream that he went to take a nighttime sip, and something “bumped” against his lips when he tipped the thermos to sip. In the dream, it was a mouse that had found its way into his water jug. My prank is that I have bought a small rubber mouse to slip in his water jug tonight before bedtime. When he awakens during the night and drinks, he will think his dream has come true – and not in a good way! 😉
I love each one of these. This is what it is all about, having fun with each other. I am the pracnkster in my house and love it when people prank me. God bless you all and keep having Fun. The couple that LAUGHS together LOVES together.