What's The Origin Of April Fool's Day?

Story Published: Mar 13, 2008 at 1:13 PM PDT

Story Updated: Mar 13, 2008 at 1:13 PM PDT

By Steve Pool

SEATTLE - There are dozens of theories for how the annual tradition of "April Fool's Day" came about, and a few even have to do with weather.

One of them has to do with the weather "fooling" farmers. Apparently, some inexperienced farmers would be tricked by Mother Nature during a warm spell in early to mid-March and go ahead and plant their crops, only to have them destroyed when another frost came along. They were known as "April Fools" for not waiting until April to plant their crops and be safe from the frost. (Although here in Seattle, the last frost is typically around March 24, so you can get a week's head start.)

Another theory is that many people would be "fooled" by the constantly changing weather around the first day of spring. (And thus, weather-casting was born?)

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