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DO YOU KNOW WHAT APRIL FOOL'S DAY IS ALL ABOUT?

In ancient times, it was thought that the coming of spring is what marked the beginning of the new year. The New Year celebration began on March 25 and ended on April 1. Most current world cultures start the year currently in January on the solar system, and in February on the Lunar system, like the Chinese new year.

In times past however, in many ancient cultures such as Mayan's and Hebrews, it was usually spring that was heralded as the bringing in of the year.

The first of the months in the Jewish Calendar is Nissan in the spring. During the Exodus, the Hebrews were told by God that it was to be instituted as the first of the months forever.

The western world also used to institute Spring as the start of the year also. Until the current Pope decided to change the calendar in 1582 AD. The Gregorian Calendar was then established and the Pope moved the first month to January 1st.

Those people who lagged behind in following the new Gregorian calendar instituted by the Pope and adopted by King Charles IX and accepted the beginning of the new year as January 1 got made fun of and called fool's if they were still keeping April 1st as the start of the new year. If they refused to acknowledge the new date or simply forgot, they would received foolish gifts and prank invitations to nonexistent parties. The person on the receiving end of such a prank was known as a "poisson d'avril" or "April fish."

Spring is a natural start to things, a time of birth, renewal of the earth and the creatures dwelling on it. So those in times past had good reasons for recognizing the start of the year as the start of spring. We've lost much ancient knowledge because of the churches domination and suppression of existing ways to promote new traditions supporting their own agenda's relating to managing people and world affairs.

Interestingly, the Gregorian Calendar and the start of the year being seen as January first is a tradition that will be 430 years old in "2012" Perhaps the Church in all it's great libraries of knowledge related to the matters of the spiritual world, know something we don't. If you recall the Hebrew's left Egypt during the Exodus, after they'd been there for 430 years. Perhaps a repeat of this 430 year cycle will see another calendar related renewal.

http://www3.kumc.edu/diversity/other/aprlfool.html

http://wilstar.com/holidays/aprilfool.htm

http://thewire.sheknows.com/2011/03/28/april-fools-day-pranks/