No April Fools

I abhor April Fools pranks.

Humiliation?

Not on my schedule {or To-Do list}.

April Fools Day is one of my least favorite days of the year. For the record, I also don’t like live comedy shows where the comic antagonizes audience members, or hypnotists that have audience members bark like dogs {or worse}. I avoid these at all costs.

I know many people find these events to be of great fun for all. To me, it is humiliating. Not only do I want to be the *victim*, but I don’t garner enjoyment from others being *victims* either. I dated a guy years ago who found the process, particularly of hypnotists, thrilling and really enjoyed these spectacles. Of course, he sincerely enjoyed it and was first to volunteer – to beat the system, to rise to the challenge. I watched once and it was mortifying – to see people manipulated, or playing along, either way it’s not an event I could stand by and watch {thereby supporting it}. Needless to say, the relationship wasn’t meant to be.

Fast forward to the present and my sweet husband, he loves jokes, comics, the idea of fun April Fools – magic tricks – all of the things that give me the creeps. He’s respectful of my dislike of the trickery, but supportive of our children in playing their fun pranks on each other and him. The pranks they do play really are harmless and fun; they do often have a *gotcha*, but it’s like opening a candy with no candy inside. Fun for them, harmless to self-esteem.

I admit: I have tried to get in on the pranks for the children. For me, it had to do no harm. The one I have actually been successful on was freezing a bowl of cereal – with a spoon in it – in milk, and setting it out for the boys. It’s a tough one, because if you don’t freeze it the whole way the spoon comes out with clumps on it, but it’s harmless {unless you use the last of the cereal or milk to pull the prank – don’t do that!}. But freezing overnight is enough for the *prank* and it was fun for my children to freeze other things afterwards.

With this age of every action being recorded, played for the world. The America’s Funniest Home Videos {which are usually catching someone getting hurt or humiliated}, the SnapChats, the *funny* gifs… I’m not all-in for pranks, jokes, or situations in which people are made to feel *less-than*. I’ve been accused of being a stick-in-the-mud for not enjoying or participating. I can live with it. I’d rather save the victim.

Do you enjoy April Fools Pranks?