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1、April Fools Day愚人节一、来历和故事Unlike most of the other nonfoolish holidays, the history of April Fools Day, sometimes called All Fools Day, is not totally clear. There really wasnt a first April Fools Day that can be pinpointed on the calendar. Some believe it sort of evolved simultaneously in several cu
2、ltures at the same time, from celebrations involving the first day of spring. The closest point in time that can be identified as the beginning of this tradition was in 1582, in France. Prior to that year, the new year was celebrated for eight days, beginning on March 25. The celebration culminated
3、on April 1. With the reform of the calendar under Charles IX, the Gregorian Calendar was introduced, and New Years Day was moved to January 1. However, communications being what they were in the days when news traveled by foot, many people did not receive the news for several years. Others, the more
4、 obstinate crowd, refused to accept the new calendar and continued to celebrate the new year on April 1. These backward folk were labeled as fools by the general populace. They were subject to some ridicule, and were often sent on fools errands or were made the butt of other practical jokes. This ha
5、rassment evolved, over time, into a tradition of prank-playing on the first day of April. The tradition eventually spread to England and Scotland in the eighteenth century. It was later introduced to the American colonies of both the English and French. April Fools Day thus developed into an interna
6、tional fun fest, so to speak, with different nationalities specializing in their own brand of humor at the expense of their friends and families. In Scotland, for example, April Fools Day is actually celebrated for two days. The second day is devoted to pranks involving the posterior region of the b
7、ody. It is called Taily Day. The origin of the kick me sign can be traced to this observance. Mexicos counterpart of April Fools Day is actually observed on December 28. Originally, the day was a sad remembrance of the slaughter of the innocent children by King Herod. It eventually evolved into a li
8、ghter commemoration involving pranks and trickery. Pranks performed on April Fools Day range from the simple, (such as saying, Your shoes untied!), to the elaborate. Setting a roommates alarm clock back an hour is a common gag. Whatever the prank, the trickster usually ends it by yelling to his vict
9、im, April Fool! Practical jokes are a common practice on April Fools Day. Sometimes, elaborate practical jokes are played on friends or relatives that last the entire day. The news media even gets involved. For instance, a British short film once shown on April Fools Day was a fairly detailed docume
10、ntary about spaghetti farmers and how they harvest their crop from the spaghetti trees. April Fools Day is a for-fun-only observance. Nobody is expected to buy gifts or to take their significant other out to eat in a fancy restaurant. Nobody gets off work or school. Its simply a fun little holiday,
11、but a holiday on which one must remain forever vigilant, for he may be the next April Fool! 在英美等国乃至整个西方世界，把 4 月 1 日定为“愚人节” （April Fools Day） 。这一天人们可以尽情地恶作剧（practical jokes） 。例如，打电话、写住，甚至登报让你的朋友或所有的人们，不知不觉中相信空穴来风的本不存在的惟妙惟肖的谎言而去做些无益的差事，或相信一些滑稽可笑的事情。关于这一天的来源已无确证可考，但人们认为是出自于庆祝春分的来临（the celebration of th
12、e vernal/spring equinox）.许多民俗研究人员认为，4 月 1 日愚弄别人的习俗是在 1564 年法国改革历法开始的。反对把元旦从 4 月 1 日改为 1 月 1 日的人在 4 月 1 日受到恶作剧的人的愚弄，成为 4 月愚人（April fish） 。18 世纪英国开始广泛庆祝愚人节。在苏格兰，愚弄别人的习俗称为捕捉布谷鸟 hunting the gawk(cukoo).墨西哥庆祝愚人节是在 12 月 28 日。二、Activities, gamesSimple Arrival Activities, such as making and decorating name
13、tags, gift bags, or party hats, are a good way for children to transition into the party. Provide plain name tags, favor bags, or party hats and a supply of markers, stickers and ribbons. Have an adult available to provide guidance, such as be sure to write your name on your favor bag.You can also h
14、ave arriving children draw on or sign a big Happy Birthday card for your child. Write Happy 7th Birthday, Jaxon! (inserting the appropriate year and name for your child, of course) in colorful letters on poster board and then have the children add their names and artwork. Another fun arrival activit
15、y is a guess how many jar. Fill a clear glass or plastic jar (with a secure lid) with a known quantity (yes, you have to count them!) of candy, nuts, marbles, pennies, tiny toy cars or some other item that ties in with the theme of your party. Decorate the jar and lid with stickers and a bow and pla
16、ce on the arrival activity table. Provide slips of paper for guests to write their names and their guess and a small basket or box to collect the entries. At the end of the party award the jar of goodies to the child with the closest guess.Activity centers consist of simple activities that are setup ahead of time and are available to the children throughout the party. Children can visit the activity centers between the organized group activities.A
