The origins of April Fools’ Day can be traced back to the 16th century, when France switched from the Julian to the Gregorian calendar in 1582. People who continued to use the old calendar and still celebrated the new year at the end of March or beginning of April were mocked by those who had already adopted the new calendar. These “April fools” were tricked with pranks and jokes. This tradition has continued to this day, and April 1st has become a day where humorous pranks and surprises take center stage worldwide.

But while April Fools’ Day used to be considered light-hearted fun, today it seems to be in crisis. The reason is that more and more people take pranks and jokes far too seriously and quickly feel offended. A harmless prank is no longer seen as a humorous surprise but as a personal insult or attack.

The reasons for this are obvious: when misunderstandings and tensions are rife, people are often more susceptible to anything they perceive as unfavorable. April 1st, which initially stood for lightness and humor, is increasingly perceived as inappropriate, especially when the fun comes at the expense of others. Jokes that were once considered harmless can now be perceived as disrespectful or hurtful.

But this is precisely where the opportunity lies: April Fools’ Day jokes should not force us into the victim role but encourage us to laugh at ourselves and not lose our sense of humor. After all, humor is an essential tool for dealing with life’s stressful and difficult moments. If you can laugh at yourself, you don’t take everyday life quite so seriously and can face difficult times with a smile.

It’s perfectly fine not to find a joke funny, but it’s just as important to find the humor in minor, harmless pranks. Instead of immediately feeling offended, we could learn to see the joke for what it is – a little break from the stresses of everyday life and an invitation not to take ourselves too seriously.

So, let’s use April 1st to bring humor back to the forefront and not immediately get defensive. It’s okay to fall for a harmless joke – sometimes, it helps to laugh at yourself and enjoy the moment because a bit of humor is good for all of us, especially in difficult times.