04/01/24 Grif.Net - First of the Month Humor
b...@grif.net
For years, the grif net has offered lousy jokes, lame puns, and low-quality humor on the first weekday of every month. But today is also April Fools Day, so we deviate slightly from our already undefined (and undecipherable) course. April Fool PRANKS and then a short history course on why we have this annual event on the calendar anyway.
PRANKS FOR FAMILY
>Try placing bubble wrap under the carpet or mats.
>Put “House for Sale” in front yard when kids return from school.
>Replace vanilla frosting with sour cream.
>Put whoopee cushions under your couch pillows.
>Add googly eyes on household plants, toaster, mirrors.
>Replacing family photos with your favorite pop stars.
>Remove batteries . . . everywhere. TV Remotes. Garage openers. Clocks.
>Unroll toilet paper and leave a funny message in marker “You’re going to wash your hands, right?”
>Bake up mini meatloaves in muffin cups with colorful wrappers, then “frost” them with creamy mashed potatoes.
>Stuff toes of shoes with cotton balls to make them no longer fit big feet.
>Remove the cream from an Oreo and replace it with white toothpaste.
>After long day (and pranks forgotten) send kids to bed. BUT replace the pillow inside the case with balloons for them to lay their weary heads.
HISTORY OF APRIL FOOLS DAY
In the Middle Ages, New Years was celebrated with a week-long feast from March 25th and culminating on April 1st (New Year’s Day). The decision was made at the Council of Trent that this was to be replaced with January 1st as New Year’s Day in the middle of the already widely celebrated 12 days of Christmas.
The French King Charles IX instituted the switch in 1564. The problem was that 16th century communications were not what they are today. Of course, given the state of the current Twittering world, that may have been a good thing. Word of the calendar change took several months, even years, to make its way around Europe and beyond. Not surprisingly, there were those who resisted the change, and instead preferred to maintain the status quo, which included celebrating New Years Day on April 1st.
Those who refused to honor January 1 as the beginning of the New Year and instead continued to use the April 1 demarcation became known as “April Fools” for their obstinacy and resistance to change. Those poor fools, excuse the pun, who refused the new calendar were sent off on ridiculous errands and were made the butt of practical jokes, like sticking signs on their backs that said, “Kick Me.” It reminded me of my good old elementary school days.
Because it took so long for the new calendar to be accepted, the practice of nonsense on April 1st became an annual event. The silliness gradually found its way to both the British and French colonies in America. Apparently traditions, whether good or bad, die hard. With that in mind, you just might want to check your chair today before you sit down.
~~
Dr Bob Griffin
"Jesus Knows Me, This I Love!"
