The earliest reliable knowledge of people making jokes and tricks with each other, on the 1st of April, originates from Germany, dating back to the beginning of the 1600's. Before that, it was common for people to make practical jokes on one another during the spring, but at the beginning of the 1600´s, the tradition was firmly established for that particular day. Nowadays April Fools' Day is known all over Western Europe and the USA.

The April Fool's Day Tradition is also known in Finland and arrived in Finland in the late 1700's from Sweden. Back in those days one might have gotten a Package of Rotten Fish as an April Fool's Joke. During the wars daily newspapers wrote fictitious news articles on April Fools Day to fool their readers, and at the end of the 1960's it also became common for television and radio broadcasters to make a joke on the day. So, if you meet hundreds of people rushing to get a free product, or see people staring at the sky waiting for an unbelievable, unusual phenomenon that will never come, then beware, because its April Fools day, and you could soon become the next April Fool!

The nonsense poem for April Fool's in Finland, goes like this; "Aprillia, aprillia, syö silliä ja juo kuravettä päälle!" - "April fool, April fool, eat some herring and drink muddy water on the top of it all!"

For information on how to cook and prepare Traditional Finnish Foods, from the everyday dishes to the festive meals and desserts, served on Finnish holidays and celebrations, please visit the Finnguide Finnish Recipes Section.

Public Transportation runs according to the normal timetable for the day of the week on which this event occurs.

Finland shops and services run their normal opening hours according to the day of the week, on which this calendar event occurs.
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