April Fools’ Day comes around every year and you’ll probably know it as a day for pranking the people closest to you.

Jokes are played on people, and you’re likely familiar with the main rule of the day which states that the pranks have to end at 12pm (midday) but do you know why?

To help you better understand April Fools’ Day and its origins, here are the answers to some of the key questions you might have about the annual event.

What is April Fools’ Day?

April Fools’ Day is an excuse to play pranks on or tell jokes to others, and it always falls on April 1.

Watch out for pranks on April Fools’ Day (Image: Getty)

When should pranks stop on April Fools’ Day and what happens if you carry on?

Jokes told or carried out on April Fools’ Day should come to a stop at 12pm.

“After midday it’s considered bad luck to play a trick.

“Anyone who forgets this and tries a joke in the afternoon becomes an ‘April Fool’ themselves”, the British Council explains.

“It’s thought that this rule dates back all the way to 1851, written in a passage of a British journal, which said that anyone who played a trick after noon should be told; “April Fools’ gone past, You’re the biggest fool at last””, the BBC explains.

How did April Fools’ Day originate?

The BBC explains that there isn’t just one theory for how the annual day started, saying: “Some believe April Fools’ Day is derived from events in the calendar, specifically the beginning of a new season.

“In Roman times, people celebrated ‘renewal festivals’, big celebrations that would take place to mark the beginning of a new year or season.

“As part of these events, normal life was thrown out of the window, with some believing this gave rise to the kind of chaos we’ve all grown to love during April Fools’.

“Others believe the April date comes from a shifting of the calendar, specifically around the date of the spring equinox.

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“The spring equinox takes place in March, and is regarded by many as the beginning of spring.

“Once upon a time, the start of spring, when people could begin planting flowers, was seen as the start of the new year, before this was shifted to January.

“As such, some speculate that those who continued to celebrate the new year in late-March, as opposed to January, were seen as fools, having pranks and jokes played on them as a result – thus ushering in the tradition of the April Fool.”

Have you successfully pranked anyone this April Fools’ Day? Let us know in the comments below.