The Chronicle Newspaper has just adopted a new policy that will prohibit the printing of any nude animals.

Chronicle Editor Jerry Bellune explained the new policy: “It is time for us to stop degrading animals by showing photos of them without clothes.”

Wait for it… “April Fool!”

That actually was a National Geographic April Fools’ Day prank in 2016.

In that issue, they featured photography of cats wearing clothes.

Today is that once-a-year day when the most gullible among us become easy targets for a good laugh.

I was never one to try for much more than, “Your shoe’s untied—made you look, April Fool!”

But there have been some pretty elaborate hoaxes pulled off by some serious pranksters.

Back in 1998, Burger King ran a full-page ad in USA Today announcing the new Left-Handed Whopper.

The ad said that all the ingredients in this burger were rotated 180 degrees so that left-handed patrons could eat it with ease.

The prank worked and lefties lined up to order the whopper of a joke.

We are not sure how April Fools’ Day got its name.

One theory involves the Gregorian calendar trying to replace the Julian calendar in 1582.

Under the Julian calendar, the new year began the first of April after the Spring equinox.

The French refused to recognize New Year’s Day moving to January under the Gregorian system.

The French who refused to comply were called April fools.

Harmless pranks to poke fun at people came to be associated with the date April 1.

In England, in the 1700s young apprentices were good prey to be sent off to buy nonexistent things like stripped paint, pigeon milk, or elbow grease.

Still today, the possibilities are endless for tricks to be played on the unaware.

I hope you make it to April 2nd without someone putting a “kick me” sticker on your back.

But to slap a Gamecock sticker on the back of a Tiger fan might be pretty funny!

Next: How do you spell relief?

Dan Williams is the senior adult pastor at Lexington Baptist Church.