With St. Patrick's Day in the rearview mirror, April will be here before you know it. The fourth month of the year brings all kinds of spring activities, like getting outside to enjoy the return of warm weather, a visit from the Easter Bunny and many other seasonal delights.

　　But first, it's necessary to get through April Fools' Day. Whether you're a perp or a victim on the unofficial holiday, you might be wondering, “When is April Fools’ Day this year?” Fair question because, either way, you'd probably like to prepare in advance for the pranks ahead, especially if you're the one planning them.

　　If that's the case, you'll want plenty of notice to ensure you've got everything you need on hand for the hijinks you've been plotting.

　　If you're typically on the receiving end of someone else's tomfoolery, then it doesn't hurt to prepare for whatever they've got in store, because you never know what funny jokes await. It could be that your bed is about to be short-sheeted or the kitchen-sink sprayer has been rigged with a rubber band.

　　Either way, we've got everything you need to know about the date and day of April Fools' Day in 2025, as well as a collection of fun and interesting facts on how April Fools' got its start, how long the tradition has lasted and other fascinating trivia about April 1.

　　So grab your calendar and a pen because the April holiday will be here before you know it and, trust us, there's no time like the present to plan ahead.

　　When is April Fools' Day in 2025?

　　If you're curious to know what day of the week it lands on, April Fools' Day is on a Tuesday in 2025, which gives you plenty of time to dream up and execute the perfect prank on friends, family, coworkers and anyone else who appreciates a practical joke.

　　And there are so many good ones to choose from.

　　A favorite among April Fools’ gags comes from an episode of “The Office” in which Jim puts Dwight Schrute’s stapler inside a Jell-O mold. A total classic if there ever was one.

　　Other inspired pranks include swapping the filling in a sandwich cookie for toothpaste or replacing the salt in the shaker with sugar. Really, there's no end to the pranks you can play in the name of good fun.

　　Why do we celebrate April Fools' Day?

　　According to an article published by the Library of Congress Magazine on the subject, no knows exactly when the tradition began, but it's possible it started with a classical Roman festival called "Hilaria," a celebration of the spring equinox which took place anywhere between 625 B.C. to 476 A.D.

　　Given the timing of the ancient festival, the date of April Fools' Day, April 1, makes a lot of sense.

　　Hilaria's festivities included games and other amusements. Supposedly mocking others or wearing disguises was also part of the ritual — so not too far removed from our current April Fools' traditions.

　　That said, specific references to April Fools' weren't found until 1561 when Eduard De Dene wrote a poem that mentions sending a servant off to perform a series of frivolous errands just for laughs.

　　Sound familiar? If you've ever used the expression being sent out on a "fool's errand," this is where the term originates.

　　Sending someone to do a bunch of foolish things for personal amusement apparently caught on because 500 years later, the practical joke was still making the rounds, at least according to a 1902 newspaper article, which mentions sending "unsophisticated" people out to do "fruitless" errands just because it's funny.

　　Do other countries celebrate April Fools' Day?

　　According to the Museum of Hoaxes, a 1957 BBC broadcast in Britain convinced people that Swiss farmers were growing spaghetti on trees.

　　Gullible viewers phoned the TV station asking how they could grow pasta-bearing trees of their own. To be fair, we’d be all in for backyard penne, but, alas, it was only a prank.

　　The Swedes got in on the action a few years later. In 1962, people covered their televisions with stockings after a mock news segment said nylons could convert black and white into color.

　　Various tricksters in other countries like Britain, Australia, New Zealand and Norway (and countless others) have also used April Fools' Day as an excuse to prank gullible citizens with great success, too.