According to the World Book in the Thunder Bay Public Library’s (TBPL’s) Virtual Collection, the history of April Fool's Day is not clear. The Day’s beginnings can be traced back to 1582, in France. Prior to that year, the New Year was celebrated for eight days, beginning on March 25. The celebration concluded on the first of April. Under Charles IX the new Gregorian Calendar was introduced, and New Year's Day was moved to the first of January.
Some stubbornly refused to accept the new calendar and continued to celebrate their New Year on April 1. For this they were labeled "fools" and had practical jokes played upon them. This evolved into a tradition of prank-playing on the first day of April. Again, sign into TBPL’s virtual collection with your library card and you can read several funny accounts of April Fool’s Day tricks, including the 1957 BBC news account of the Swiss farmers enjoying a bumper spaghetti crop. Reportedly many people called BBC to find out how they too could grow a spaghetti tree.
April Fool's Day is strictly for laughs, the benefits of which apparently are many. He who laughs last, laughs best; laugh and the world laughs with you; laughter is the best medicine. "I believe that if people can get more laughter in their lives, they are a lot better off," says Steve Wilson, M.A., CSP, a psychologist and laugh therapist. "They might be healthier, too." Your Thunder Bay Public Library has several great titles on just this.
“The Penguin Anthology of Canadian Humour” edited and with an introduction by Will Ferguson, a collection of Canadian humour literature and cultural experience. Each story provides a good laugh.
“How to be Really Funny” by Mark Stolzenberg ; photographs by Neil Bicknell, explains how to amuse any audience, using such classic principles of comedy as pantomime, slapstick, and improvisation
“Lighten Up : Survival Skills for People Under Pressure” by C.W. Metcalf and Roma Felible, shows simple ways to not take ourselves too seriously.
“I'd Rather Laugh: How to be Happy When Life has Other Plans for You” by Linda Richman, based on the premise that the best approach to almost any situation is laughter.
Enjoy the launching of a new book on April 14th in the Waverley Auditorium where you are invited to “Laugh Out Loud with Matt Jackson”. Here you can spend an evening of laughter as you join author Matt Jackson in an evening of slides, music and readings from his newest book entitled “A Beaver is Eating My Canoe : True Tales to Make You Laugh, Chortle, Snicker and Feel Inspired” edited by Matt Jackson.
A specialist in the science of laughter claims that it takes ten minutes on a rowing machine for his heart rate to reach the level it would after just one minute of hearty laughter. Not only that, laughter burns calories. Maciej Buchowski, a researcher from Vanderbilt University, conducted a study in which he measured the amount of calories expended in laughing. Turns out ten minutes of laughter burns 50 calories (equal to one piece of chocolate). (Taken from eLibrary Canada, TBPL’s virtual collection).
For fun go to find books on the Thunder Bay Public Library website and click on Search Library Catalogue to do a quick subject search on laughter. Listed among the books already mentioned, you will find a DVD entitled “Laughter yoga [dvd] : Step by Step Instructional Video”, directed and presented by Madan Kataria. Laughter yoga is an invigorating and relaxing blend of yoga breathing techniques and gentle laughter.
So enjoy the upcoming April Fool’s Day, skeptic or otherwise. And remember when in doubt, laugh. And breathe.
Caron E. Naysmith
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