A joke can easily be lost in translation, but the idea of a lighthearted springtime holiday is surprisingly universal.

What Americans know as April Fools’ Day (sometimes referred to as All Fools’ Day) is observed the world over. Though historical evidence is ambiguous, most believe that when the Gregorian calendar was adopted in the late 1500s, the New Year was moved from April 1 to January 1. Those who kept to the old tradition and the old date were labeled fools, hence the association. But no two celebrations are quite the same:

[Click here to find out what they do in France, Spain, Portugal, Denmark, Scotland, India and Iran.]

[Click here for a little history of the day in Britain.]