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Changes
April Fools
* Russia in 1918.
* In The Netherlands the calendar took its start at different stages, in different provinces.
==April Fool's Day==
The historical record is not entirely clear, but it seems that April Fool's day was a direct result of the calendar change.
It began in 1582 in France. Before that year, the new year was celebrated for eight days, beginning on March 25. The celebration culminated on April 1. With the reform of the calendar under Charles IX, the Gregorian Calendar was introduced, and New Year's Day was moved to January 1.
However, communications being what they were in the days when news traveled by foot, many people did not receive the news for several years. Others, the more obstinate crowd, refused to accept the new calendar and continued to celebrate the new year on April 1. These backward folk were labeled as "fools" by the general populace. They were subject to some ridicule, and were often sent on "fools errands" or were made the butt of other practical jokes.
This harassment evolved, over time, into a tradition of prank-playing on the first day of April. The tradition eventually spread to England and Scotland in the eighteenth century. It was later introduced to the American colonies of both the English and French.
(Source: http://wilstar.com/holidays/aprilfool.htm)
