April Fools...

[non capisco]

Many years ago I sent my then boyfriend a series of texts across the morning saying our then landlord was going away and wanted to leave some pets with us to look after (in our small 1 bed flat). Started with two cats and ended up being several more and a few large dogs and birds in cages too. What was by far the best thing about a not particularly funny joke was that he absolutely fell for it, which I wasn't expecting at all. I thought his first response would be yeah right April fool sod off but nope, even when I added the dogs he just started asking about the money for food etc. I think it's to my considerable credit that I didn't go on to exploit such gullibility.

That is a belter. The escalation from the believable two cats to "a few large dogs and birds in cages" makes it for me.

[Sebastian Cobb]

Given the way the government's dealing with grot, this could well be real https://twitter.com/BBCiPlayer/status/1112581453001433089

[Dex Sawash]

So April fool pranks are required to be revealed at noon (local)?

[Ambient Sheep]

In the UK, yes, however I have a feeling that this isn't true of all countries.

Wikipedia isn't clear:

A study in the 1950s, by folklorists Iona and Peter Opie, found that in the UK, and in countries whose traditions derived from the UK, the joking ceased at midday. This continues to be the current practice with the holiday ceasing at noon, after which time it is no longer acceptable to play jokes. Ergo, a person playing a joke after midday is considered the "April fool" themselves.

^{_{(emphasis mine)}}

Although actually that's not what you asked, is it?  You asked if it had to be revealed.  Not the same thing...

Bother.

[Paul Calf]

"Holiday"?

[Lisa Jesusandmarychain]

"Holiday"?

Young Madonna advised to make potential breakthrough single " less tentative ".

[Dex Sawash]

Although actually that's not what you asked, is it?  You asked if it had to be revealed.  Not the same thing...

Bother.

Close enough for me

[Glebe]

dracolas are real!

April Fools! (Belatedly.)

[Cerys]

Just found out that my dad fooled a racist cunt via amateur radio by telling him that my parents' car now used Profal Oil - a synthetic oil that only needs changing after 100,000 miles and still retains its crystal clarity.  Invented by one Professor Albion, hence the name.  Kept him believing it for over half an hour of radio conversation, during which the racist cunt Googled for it, trying umpteen spellings.  The great thing about it was that the other hams in the conversation joined in, despite not having been briefed.  My dad finally said 'I've just noticed that if you rearrange the letters you get 'April Fool' ', and signed off.  Apparently it still took twatboy a while to twig.  I love my dad.