Holidays are great. It’s a time to see some family, do some celebrating and sometimes even spend a few extra days away from work.
Despite holidays being pretty awesome, I’ve never understood the inequality among the days. Some holidays are hyped up for three months and others slip by practically unnoticed. Case in point: Christmas décor and candy canes deck the shelves before any sign of cobwebs and witch hats.
One holiday that simply doesn’t get enough hype is April Fools’ Day. Sure, a few die hard prank-pulling jokesters wait all year for this day, but for the most part, it seems April 1st is one of the more ill-prepared for and most forgotten days of the year. Everyone – age, occupation and maturity level aside – has a legitimate excuse for any and all frivolous behavior. With that being said, how does this holiday not get a little more attention?
Shouldn’t the day be filled with gullible suckers trying to pull a good one on the scamp who gets them every year? People everywhere should be spending the day watching their backs, skeptical of everything and everyone – news and confidants included, for this is the day that anyone with the slightest sense of humor should be aiming to stir up as much confusion and chaos as possible.
While ace pranksters have a natural knack for fooling, others have to put a little work into creating a quality hoax. If you don’t have any ideas, don’t panic. While some practice and preparation would have been beneficial, you still have a bit of time to get your act together.
There are millions of ideas online – tricks designed for teachers, parents, friends, coworkers. Here are a few tips when devising your asinine behaviors:
1.) Think of the big picture. If this “prank” is likely to cause permanent damage to anything other than someone’s ego, rethink it. You don’t have to wreak havoc. Just a little prank should do the trick.
2.) Consider who you’re dealing with. If you are required to be in close quarters with this person every day (roommate, spouse, sibling), contemplate their reaction. If they’re an unforgiving grudge holder, you may not want to do any high-profile tricks… unless you enjoy getting the cold shoulder for a short eternity.
3.) Resist playing pranks on others if you don’t enjoy being fooled. If you strike the wrong person, remember they have an entire year to think about their retaliation. I’m willing to bet they’ll come up with something pretty clever.
Whether you’re a Gullible Gary or a Prankster Patty, try to have a little fun on April Fools’ Day.
Shootin’ the Wit is a weekly column about everyday life that should never, ever be taken too seriously.

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I’m a writer and photographer who loves old cars, big dogs and trying stuff for the first time. I believe everyone should have a bucket list because life isn’t about working, paying bills and having the latest and greatest. It’s about experiences. Achieving goals. People. Adventures. Travel.

I’ve never dyed my hair, broken a bone, or watched a Star Wars movie, and I don’t plan on doing any of these.