April Fools’ Day is a legend according to Snopes. It began in the 1500s when the Julian calendar changed to the Gregorian. Those who forgot the change and celebrated New Year’s Day as usual, then on April 1st, were teased as “April fools.” That’s a little like being picked on when you forget the time change after we monkey with the clock for daylight savings time.

Even the dog got some pinata candy.

This year Easter falls on April Fools’ Day. What do you do now? Which non-religious traditions do you celebrate? Is it Easter egg rolls or personal pranks? 

Amazingly you can do both if, like mine, whacking a pinata is one of your family traditions. While pinatas today are considered a Mexican tradition, it came to them from the Italian pignatta, where it was found as early as the 14th century.

My family took up the tradition several years ago when my step-daughter turned 40. To celebrate and be fun for the young kids her sister got two pinatas for us to whack-a 4 and a 0. It turned out great fun for us all.

The next year my birthday fell on Easter, so another pinata appeared.

The following year the kids thought that was the tradition on Easter and it’s been one ever since. Even with the oldest child now in Highschool. 

I’m looking forward to sharing this again. So for us, that’s how the family Easter tradition serves as an April Fool’s prank, that started in the 1500s. Hope your family has a wonderful tradition to share too.