April Fools Day: 5 of the most famous pranks in British history - including the great spaghetti harvest

April Fools Day is almost upon us and if you’re starting to question if you’re being pranked at every corner - you’re not alone. The day of pranks and jokes has been around for decades - and some historians speculate that April Fools’ Day dates back to 1582.

According to history.com April Fools’ Day spread throughout Britain during the 18th century. In Scotland, the tradition became a two-day event, starting with “hunting the gowk,” in which people were sent on phoney errands (gowk is a word for cuckoo bird, a symbol for fool) and followed by Tailie Day, which involved pranks played on people’s derrieres, such as pinning fake tails or “kick me” signs on them.