Few days in our calendar are more whimsical than April Fool’s Day. This day, the first day of April is a day for annoying people and creating pranks. Everyone gets in on it, from the biggest brands looking for some PR clout to your closest mates – even your grandparents!
Some April Fool's pranks, though, go down a bigger threat than others. What, though, are some of the best April Fool's pranks in the history of this event?
The fairy mummy
Fairy mummies are a common April Fools' myth, and English designer Dain Baines came up with the 2007 edition that shocked the world. He took the picture of a ‘mummified fairy’ as he was out and about on a walk with his dog. Eventually, the hoax was revealed, and the ‘body’ of the fairy was sold for around £300 – the story got traction and became regarded as one of the better-known AFD pranks.
The ‘leftie’ burger
This is a comical one – in 1998, Burger King convinced the world they were releasing a burger that was for left-handed people only. The ad was even followed by TV programs such as USA Today, and it has seen many Americans heading to their nearest BK outlet to see if they could pick up one of these left-handed burgers. This a true example of a prank that got people convinced!
The Big Ben prank
Big Ben is one of the true landmarks of London, and in 1980 an AFD prank went out on a radio station. The news? The clock was going to be replaced by a massive screen as opposed to regular hands. As you can imagine, this led to much outrage and handwringing among the press and the public. It was even jumped on by international media, with a Japanese radio station running a story that the old hands would be sold!
Spaghetti farms
Our favorite AFD prank, though, comes from 1957 when a report claimed that there was a spaghetti farm in Switzerland. The prank story, run by the BBC, claimed that a specific breed of tree in Switzerland was naturally growing spaghetti. The BBC even had some people calling in to see if they could import one of these tees into their homes.
AFD is one of the few times of the year we get to just be outrageous and silly with our pranks – what is your favorite prank on this most comical of days?