This One Thing Will Make Your April Fools’ Joke A Success

Tomorrow is April Fools' Day and I already know most of you will fail at tricking anyone. The issue largely lies in the advent of social media. We are checking Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, and whatever else so often it’s nearly impossible to forget the date. Everyone posts their version of April Fools' jokes and there’s inevitably overlap in ideas. The human race is only so creative. So everyone is on high alert calling out pranks left and right. It’s harder than ever to successfully fool someone.

But there are simple things you can do and not do to ensure you trick at least one person for this glorious holiday. First, avoid using social media to perpetrate the act. That’s far too obvious, especially if you’re trying to trick with bad news. Unless you regularly take to socials for that sort of thing, that’s suspect AF.

Don’t go for a bombshell of a prank unless you started laying groundwork weeks in advance. For example, if you haven’t been hinting that you’re behind on rent for the last two months you can’t announce you’re being evicted. You have to go for something that could easily happen that day and preferably inconveniences the person you’re trying to fool.

Most importantly, and here’s the plot twist...play your prank on December 28th. In Spanish speaking countries the April Fools' Day equivalent is Dia De Los Inocentes (Day of the Innocents). And you play pranks on unsuspecting innocents (fools).

I tricked my husband into thinking he would be late to work because I got a flat tire on my way home from a Starbucks run he asked me not to make for fear I wouldn’t return on time. He was so mad and because it was December and not April, he hadn’t the slightest idea I was making it all up. The look on his face of bewilderment and annoyance when I popped into the house to break the April/December Fools' news. Ah, it was a glorious feeling.

If you are someone who already celebrates Dia De Los Inocentes, switch it up and play your prank on April 1st. The point is to make your joke on a completely different day but justify its validity citing the sister holiday. You're welcome!