As in the West, April 1 in Russia is a widely known and “celebrated” holiday in early spring. Although not widely known, Russians are very fond of humor, laughter, and jokes, and they feature some of the best and funniest comedians in the world (although not everyone agrees, maybe you have to be Russian to really “Understand it”). Regardless of whether you get their humor or not, April 1 is a great day to be in Russia and celebrate the arrival of spring with the rest of the country.
Vacation history
When the holiday was first held in Russia, it was much more related to the beginning of spring than it is now. The Slavs dressed in costumes and masks, went out into the streets and fields and made a lot of noise and loud laughter to drive away the winter. Peter I officially recognized the holiday as April Fools’ Day. Since those days, the holidays are well recognized in Russia as a day designated for joy, laughter and, yes, practical jokes.
Unlike many places in the West, there is no rule stating that April Fool’s Day lasts only until 12 p.m. M. If it’s celebrated, it can be celebrated all day, so be prepared for practical jokes anywhere in the country. That date.
Celebrations
As in the West, both children and adults sometimes engage in jokes, from the silliest to the extreme. However, as a general rule, April 1 is not recognized or celebrated in offices, workplaces, or schools (although some classrooms rarely pay a little attention). Most of the time, the jokes Russians play on each other are small and mostly harmless; it’s quite rare for someone to spend a lot of time planning an elaborate prank on this day.
The Russian media also get involved, often publishing articles of jokes and jokes in newspapers and online. Of course, in a country where a lot of ridiculous things happen on a daily basis, it can be difficult to distinguish fact from fiction. For example, in 2008, even public officials were confused about whether an article (falsely) claiming that it would be a requirement in Ulyanovsk to play the national anthem for every new baby born (to promote patriotism) was true or false. .
In theaters and other public venues, comedy, improv, and sketch shows are presented to audiences on April 1. These are extremely popular with Russians and are usually very high-quality comedies. If you speak Russian, you should definitely plan to check one out if you are in Russia for April Fools’ Day. Sometimes in Moscow or St. Petersburg, you can even find comedy shows in English.
Important words and phrases from the innocents
Here are some basic Russian words and phrases you should know before celebrating April Fools Day in Russia:
- April Fool’s Day (Literally: April 1) – Первое Апреля (PER-vo-ye ap-RE-lya)
- April Fools ‘Day (Literally: Laughter Day) – День Смеха (DEN’ SMEkha)
- April Fools’ Day (Literally: April Fools’ Day) – День Дураков (DEN ‘du-ra-KOV)
- Happy April Fools Day! (Happy April 1) – С первым Апреля! (s PER-vim ap-RE-lya)
- Joke – Шутка (SHUT-ka)
- Laughter – Смех (SMEkh)
- Smile – Улыбка (ul-IB-ka)
- Practical joke – Розыгрыш (RO-zi-grish)
