The History Behind April Fool's Day

Blogger: Amber Schamel

Public Domain

Yesterday was April Fools day. I’m sure some of you are very aware of that fact. LOL. But why are pranks so common on April Fools day, and where did this strange tradition come from?

Good question. Let’s explore.

In all honesty, no one really knows for sure because April Fool’s day (sometimes called All Fools day) has been around for centuries and in many different cultures. Some of the traditions date back to ancient times. Ancient Rome for example, had many traditions that resemble April Fool’s day during their Hilaria (end of winter) festival, such as pranking people by dressing up in disguises.

One of the most common speculations is that April Fool’s day originated when France switched from the Julian calendar to the Gregorian calendar. The poor folks who forgot, or just flat out missed the memo, continued to celebrate the dawn of the New Year at the end of March, beginning of April, instead of January 1st. These people became the subject of jokes and ridicule, such as having paper fish taped to their backs to insinuate their gullibility and foolishness.

April Fool Disguise
Public Domain

Another theory is that the day originated from the Vernal Equinox, the first day of Spring, during which time Mother Nature would fool people by the drastic weather changes and variations.

During the 18th century is when the day gained popularity throughout Britain. Scotland for example would commemorate the occasion with two days. Kicking it off with “hunting of the gowk” where people were sent on phony errands and followed by Tallie Day. Tallie day was marked by playing pranks, such as pinning a “kick me” sign to someone’s back. 

April Fool Pranks take all forms.

Whatever the origin of the day, it has long been a time to absolutely ‘fool’ people into believing something that isn’t true. Which is why I’m posting this on April 2nd. Because it is true. Or is it? 😉

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Two-time winner of the Christian Indie Award for historical fiction, Amber Schamel writes riveting stories that bring HIStory to life. She has a passion for travel, history, books and her Savior. This combination results in what her readers call "historical fiction at its finest".  She lives in Colorado and spends half her time volunteering in the Ozarks. Amber is a proud member of the American Christian Fiction Writers Association. Visit her online at www.AmberSchamel.com/ and download a FREE story by subscribing to her Newsletter!

The Legend & History of the Dogwood Tree

Blogger: Amber Schamel

Since Easter is coming up, I thought I’d share a beautiful legend that always comes to my mind this time of year. The legend behind the dogwood trees. Some of ya’ll may have heard it, but perhaps you don’t know some of the other history behind the tree.

Down South, the Dogwood Trees are a symbol of Spring. There are festivals every year that celebrate Spring and the blooming of the dogwood tree. In fact, three states have honored the tree with state plant status. The dogwood is the state tree of Missouri, the state flower of North Carolina, and Virginia loved it so much that it is actually their state flower AND state tree.

In the mid 1500’s, the trees were known in Europe as the dagwood, because the small stems were used for dags, daggers, arrows or skewers. Later, around 1615, the name was changed to dogwood. No one knows for sure why the name changed from dagwood to dogwood. Perhaps it was a pronunciation thing. Or perhaps it was because the tree sometimes made the sound of a dog barking when the branches knocked together in the wind. Or perhaps it was due to the medicinal properties of the bark, that were often used to treat mange in dogs.

The native Americans used the dogwoods for many purposes, including medicines and dyes. The tree was seen as masculine, and many of the ceremonies consisted of the males eating their berries. The sap, however, is toxic and was used as a poison amongst the tribes. When the dogwoods bloomed in spring, the Native tribes knew it was time to begin planting.

Thomas Jefferson is one of the main reasons that the dogwood tree became popular as an ornamental tree. He loved them and promoted them for landscaping, including many of them in his estate plan at Monticello.

Notice the unique petal tips

Growing up in Colorado, I had never heard of dogwoods until I started volunteering in the rural Ozarks near where my dad was raised. He’s the one that original introduced me to these trees and the beautiful legend behind them. My dad stopped the car beside the road, snapped off a branch and held it out to us as he explained the legend. They are a rather small tree, rough and crooked looking. Around Easter every year, it bursts forth with beautiful, fragrant blooms. These blooms have four petals that look somewhat like a cross. The tips of the petals are unique, looking almost as if they've been imprinted by nails, and having red coloring that almost looks like blood stains.
 
No one knows for certain where the legend originated, or who is responsible for it, but it goes something like this:

The Dogwood Tree by Anonymous

When Christ was on earth, the dogwood grew

The blooms look almost like a cross,
with a crown of thorns at the center.

To a towering size with a lovely hue.
Its branches were strong and interwoven
And for Christ's cross its timbers were chosen

Being distressed at the use of the wood
Christ made a promise which still holds good:
"Not ever again shall the dogwood grow
To be large enough for a tree, and so

Slender and twisted it shall always be
With cross-shaped blossoms for all to see.
The petals shall have bloodstains marked brown
And in the blossom's center a thorny crown.

All who see it will think of Me,
Nailed to a cross from a dogwood tree.
Protected and cherished this tree shall be
A reflection to all of My agony."

While history tells us that these trees didn’t grow naturally in Palestine, (and therefore would not have been around during the time of Christ) and the legend most likely originated in the early 20th century, the story of the Dogwood Tree is just that…a story. However, it is a fantastic tool for telling others, especially young children, about the story of Jesus’s sacrifice & our redemption. The tree does bear resemblance to the story, which makes it an easy way to share the Gospel. I’ve witnessed my dad sharing it this way many times. So now, when you see the sign of Spring in the Dogwood Tree, remember its Creator, and His love for you.

Have you heard the legend of the Dogwood Tree? What other legends have you heard about Christ’s crucifixion? 

*****

Amber Schamel writes riveting stories that bring HIStory to life. She has a passion for travel, history, books and her Savior. This combination results in what her readers call "historical fiction at its finest".  Her title, Dawn of Liberty, was awarded the 2017 CSPA Book of the Year award in Historical Fiction. She lives in Colorado and spends half her time volunteering in the Ozarks. Amber is a proud member of the American Christian Fiction Writers Association. Visit her online at www.AmberSchamel.com/ and download a FREE story by subscribing to her Newsletter!

April Showers Bring May Flowers by Cynthia Hickey

Especially with the lingering winter across much of the country, we are looking forward to spring. This short rhyme ...

Sweet April showers
Do spring May flowers

reminds us that spring does come and brings with it beauty. flowers” may have existed.
In 1557 a gentleman by the name of Thomas Tusser compiled a collection of writings he called A Hundred Good Points of Husbandry. In the April Husbandry section he wrote the lines above.

Another saying that might help us usher in the long-awaited spring is "Good things come to those who wait". Scientifically, many things contribute to spring. Weather, wildlife, temperatures, etc. are all used to bring in what many consider the most joyful time of the year. Even Easter promises us new life, spiritually and earthly.

I remember many times as a child growing up in the Ozark mountains where we hid Easter eggs in the house because spring was taking its time arriving.

Here are some historical ways spring was celebrated:

It seems probable that around the second century A.D., Christian missionaries seeking to convert the tribes of northern Europe noticed that the Christian holiday commemorating the resurrection of Jesus roughly coincided with the Teutonic springtime celebrations, which emphasized the triumph of life over death. Christian Easter gradually absorbed the traditional symbols.

In Medieval Europe, eggs were forbidden during Lent. Eggs laid during that time were often boiled or otherwise preserved. Eggs were thus a mainstay of Easter meals, and a prized Easter gift for children and servants.

In addition, eggs have been viewed as symbols of new life and fertility through the ages. It is believed that for this reason many ancient cultures, including the Ancient Egyptians, Persians, and Romans, used eggs during their spring festivals.

Many traditions and practices have formed around Easter eggs. The coloring of eggs is a established art, and eggs are often dyed, painted, and otherwise decorated. Eggs were also used in various holiday games: parents would hide eggs for children to find, and children would roll eggs down hills. These practices live on in Easter egg hunts and egg rolls. The most famous egg roll takes place on the White House lawn every year.

Hares and rabbits have long been symbols of fertility. The inclusion of the hare into Easter customs appears to have originated in Germany, where tales were told of an "Easter hare" who laid eggs for children to find. German immigrants to America -- particularly Pennsylvania -- brought the tradition with them and spread it to a wider public. They also baked cakes for Easter in the shape of hares, and may have pioneered the practice of making chocolate bunnies and eggs.

After their baptisms, early Christians wore white robes all through Easter week to indicate their new lives. Those had already been baptized wore new clothes instead to symbolize their sharing a new life with Christ.

In Medieval Europe, churchgoers would take a walk after Easter Mass, led by a crucifix or the Easter candle. Today these walks endure as Easter Parades. People show off their spring finery, including lovely bonnets decorated for spring.

Thank you to http://www.factmonster.com/spot/easterintro1.html for the fascinating research tips.

How do you celebrate Spring?

Multi-published and Best-Selling author Cynthia Hickey had three cozy mysteries and two novellas published through Barbour Publishing. Her first mystery, Fudge-Laced Felonies, won first place in the inspirational category of the Great Expectations contest in 2007. Her third cozy, Chocolate-Covered Crime, received a four-star review from Romantic Times. All three cozies have been re-released as ebooks through the MacGregor Literary Agency, along with a new cozy series, all of which stay in the top 50 of Amazon’s ebooks for their genre. She has several historical romances releasing in 2013 and 2014 through Harlequin’s Heartsong Presents, and has sold more than 150,000 copies of her works. She is active on FB, twitter, and Goodreads. She lives in Arizona with her husband, one of their seven children, two dogs and two cats. She has five grandchildren who keep her busy and tell everyone they know that “Nana is a writer”. Visit her website at www.cynthiahickey.com