April Fool’s day is so random. A day for playing jokes on your loved ones, but only until noon. Such a weird premise. Nonetheless, it’s pervasive.

When I was a kid, April Fool’s Day provided a specifically sanctioned day to prank your friends. But for the love of all that is holy, it’s not cool to wait until after lunch to orchestrate your mischief on your pals. Srsly, so weird, right? When Connor was a kid, sharing the whimsy of April Fool’s Day was something that I really enjoyed as his sense of humour changed from year to year. When I was at Queen’s U, the graduating engineering year planned for months – maybe more, even – to pull off their Year Prank. There was a giant inflatable gorilla hanging off the Grant Hall clock tower one year, another year there were giant For Sale signs in front of all the storied buildings on University Ave. They bricked in the underground pub. In the time since, there have been excellent pranks by the CBC and other corporate groups. It’s fun to see who takes them seriously and gets their knickers in a twist. That part is almost as fun as a well-delivered joke to start. Remember how weirdly angry people got when $5 coins were announced?

My sister chocolate dipped Brussels Sprouts and wrapped them in Fererro Rocher wrappers for her unsuspecting co-workers.That’s pretty inoffensive. But plastic wrapping your toilet is good if you’re not the guy enduring the splashback (or the person who has to clean up that mess). And unscrewing the lid on the salt is only funny if you’re able to replace the over-salted food.

This Lent, may I always have a good read on where the line of good taste lies when I prank. When I enjoy a prank, may it be without derision or spite.

Extra Credit:

Best April Fools’ Jokes from Tech Companies

Except Microsoft…. There’s no joy in Redmond: No joke, Microsoft bans April Fools’ jokes