Every April 1st, folks that usually temper their inner Loki let loose a little bit and play jokester for the day. The April Fools’ origins likely go back to the ancient Roman holiday honoring Cybele called Hilaria. During the vernal equinox, it was a joyous festival that included folks masquerading as other people.
Some believe the tradition of playing pranks on April 1st stems from the switch to the Gregorian calendar, as the Council of Trent decided in 1563. Before adopting the Gregorian calendar, many European nations celebrated the New Year in April. Those who hadn’t heard that year turned over on January 1st were teased and called fools, leading to the custom of tricking people on April 1st.
These days, April Fools’ has fewer costumes and more pranks, including companies putting out fake products and announcements. In a world where everything gets scrutinized across multiple rounds of emails and notes, it’s hard to land a good joke. But the following brands have come up with some of the funniest April Fools Day pranks in 2022, and they even brought some memorable packaging for the ride.
