英语狂人张青老师分享英语文化：April Fool's Day愚人节
April 1st is widely known as April Fool's Day.The custom of sending others on fool's errands or playing other practical jokes on that day has existed since at least the Middle Ages.The two most popular explanations in the nineteenth century were that April was a month of variable weather,and that the Jews started the custom during Jesus' passion,by sending him on fool's errands to various magistrates before his crucifixion.
These explanations seems rather unconvincing and a more reasonable one exists.Until 1564,March 25 marked the European new year,and the festivities typically lasted eight days,until April 1st.In that year,the calendar changed,and New Year's Day became January 1st.But not everyone immediately got the message,and those who continued to make the new year's visits and offer the traditional presents on April 1st would
April 1st is widely known as April Fool's Day.The custom of sending others on fool's errands or playing other practical jokes on that day has existed since at least the Middle Ages.The two most popular explanations in the nineteenth century were that April was a month of variable weather,and that the Jews started the custom during Jesus' passion,by sending him on fool's errands to various magistrates before his crucifixion.
These explanations seems rather unconvincing and a more reasonable one exists.Until 1564,March 25 marked the European new year,and the festivities typically lasted eight days,until April 1st.In that year,the calendar changed,and New Year's Day became January 1st.But not everyone immediately got the message,and those who continued to make the new year's visits and offer the traditional presents on April 1st would