BATTLE MOUNTAIN - With another April Fool's Day come and gone, many Lander County resident fondly recounted Aprils Fool's Days gone by with pranks played on them and pranks played on others that got quite a few laughs.
Two years ago, Tansy Chandler, of Battle Mountain, was pregnant and she said she took a pregnancy test and gave it to her friend for her friend to prank her boyfriend that she was pregnant. He did not think it was too funny, recalled Chandler.
This year, Dee Helming, of Austin, told her daughter, Jessi, that their spring break trip to Valejo, Calif., April 4 - 7 was cancelled and her daughter got quite disappointed before Helming hollered out "April Fool's!"
Koral Torrence, of Battle Mountain, who works at the Battle Mountain Clinic, said that one year she and other staff members got a hold of one of their provider's car keys and moved his car so he would think it was stolen. He did think it was stolen but they told him "April Fool's" before he called law enforcement. Another year she and her co-workers put plastic insects in the same guy's lunch.
Mary Lou Rives, of Battle Mountain, who packed her husband Bob's lunch for many years, played several lunch pranks on him. One year, she dyed his tuna fish green which he threw away. Another year, he complained that she forgot to put salt in his lunch so on April Fool's Day she put salt, and only salt in his lunchbox, she said. Another year, she stuck rubber bands in between the meat in his sandwich.
This year, County Commissioner Steve Stienmetz was pranked by his wife Donna. She came home and said her right front tire was low. He went out and checked it and came back in the house to her saying "April Fool's!"
Last year, Ami Rogers, of Battle Mountain, who works for Great Basin College, said she and another co-worker covered another co-worker's desk with Post-its and labeled everything.
The Young family, of the Birch Creek Ranch, has a huge tradition of playing April Fool's Day pranks, but this year April Fool's Day had a bit of a twist when Patsy Young's daughter, Tiffany Young, announced that she was engaged to Cameron Barr, of Sanford, Colo.
The catch is that the couple really did get engaged, but due to the Young family's reputation for April Fool's Day jokes, no one believes it, said Patsy Young. The wedding is planned for June 20.
Two years ago, Patsy Young's other daughter, Ashley Crossley, got married on April Fool's Day to Tanner Crossley. The couple resides in Kirksville, Mo. Last year, another of Patsy Young's daughters, Brittany, announced she was engaged, but it was only a joke. However, two months later, she did get engaged to Michael Staples and the couple got married in December 2012. Their home is in Rexburg, Idaho.
According to www.april-fools.us/history-april-fools.htm, the history of April Fool's Day or All Fool's Day is uncertain, but the current thinking is that it began around 1582 in France with the reform of the calendar under Charles IX. The Gregorian calendar was introduced, and New Year's Day was moved from March 25 - April 1 (new year's week) to Jan. 1.
Communication traveled slowly in those days and some people were only informed of the change several years later. Still others, who were more rebellious, refused to acknowledge the change and continued to celebrate on the last day of the former celebration, April 1.
According to the website, these people were labeled "fools" by the general populace, were subject to ridicule and sent on "fool errands," sent invitations to nonexistent parties and had other practical jokes played on them. The butts of these pranks became known as a "poisson d'avril" or "April fish" because a young naive fish is easily caught.
In addition, one common practice was to hook a paper fish on the back of someone as a joke. This harassment evolved over time and a custom of prank-playing continue on the first day of April.
This tradition eventually spread elsewhere such as to Britain and Scotland in the 18th century and was introduced to the American colonies by the English and the French, according to the website.
Because this spread to other countries, April Fool's Day has taken on an international flavor with each country celebrating the holiday in its own way.
In Scotland, for instance, April Fool's Day is devoted to spoofs involving the buttocks and as such is called Taily Day, it states on the website.
The butts of these jokes are known as April "Gowk," another name for cuckoo bird. The origins of the "Kick Me" sign can be traced back to the Scottish observance.
According to National Geographic, the origins of April Fool's Day are shrouded in mystery, experts say.
The most popular theory is that France changed its calendar in the 1500s so that the New Year would begin in January to match the Roman calendar instead of beginning at the start of spring, in late March or early April.
However, according to National Geographic, word of the change traveled slowly, and many people in rural areas continued to celebrate the New Year in the spring. These country dwellers became known as "April fools," the story goes.
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