April 1st in Tenerife is not such a prank-filled day as it is in the UK, where people try to fool others with tricks and tall tales.
Those who wander through April 1st with trembling knees and a suspicious glance in the Low Countries are well-trained in dodging silly jokes and cunning lies. But anyone who thinks this phenomenon universally falls on April 1st is mistaken. In Tenerife – yes, on the sun-drenched, banana-rich, and at times downright mischievous island – confusion is unleashed on another day: December 28th, also known as Día de los Santos Inocentes.
From Bible story to practical joke
The origin of this “Spanish April Fools'” lies, oddly enough, in a rather tragic story. According to the Bible, King Herod ordered all newborn boys in Bethlehem to be killed to prevent the arrival of the “new king.” This massacre – gruesome and dead serious – stands in stark contrast to the cheerful and light-hearted interpretation the day would later receive. In Spain, and thus also in Tenerife, the day evolved from mourning to merriment. The “innocent children” (los Santos Inocentes) were eventually replaced by “innocent victims” of jokes and pranks. And so it is that December 28th is now all about deceit, mockery, and gentle mischief.
Watch your iPhone and your gullibility
In Tenerife, December 28th is a day of cheerful trickery. People come up with the craziest schemes and let their creativity run wild. Think of fake news stories about Mount Teide erupting and a new island forming, named ‘Teiderife.’ Or a local radio station claiming that the capital, Santa Cruz, will henceforth be called ‘Santa Kylie,’ after Kylie Minogue, who just so happens to be on holiday there.
Local newspapers play their part with flair. They publish deceptively credible articles about absurd legislative proposals or completely fabricated events. Sometimes the joke is so well-crafted that people believe it en masse, especially if it’s cloaked in a layer of bureaucratic Spanish. Consider: “El Cabildo aprueba una ordenanza para prohibir el uso de chancletas en el tranvía.” Yep, flip-flops banned on the tram. Everyone bites.
How to trick an islander?
The locals – Tenerfians, as I call them – are not to be trusted on December 28th. Even your neighbour, who normally offers you papas arrugadas and homemade gofio cookies, turns into a cunning trickster. Friends call to say your car has lost a wheel. Or your partner sends a WhatsApp message: “Darling, I accidentally dropped the paella pan on your laptop.” It usually takes half a minute – and a few too many heartbeats – before the prankster dryly adds: “¡Inocente!”
And that’s the magic word: ¡Inocente! Once you’ve fallen for it – no matter how obvious or sophisticated the prank – you’re declared the innocent, the gullible one of the day. Some wear the title with pride; others swear revenge for next year.
Paper cut-outs and slapstick
In addition to verbal and digital pranks, there’s also a traditional visual element: the paper figure. Children (and adults with a childlike spirit) cut out a funny human shape from paper and try to stick it unnoticed on someone’s back. It’s similar to the Flemish “April fish,” but in Spanish style. Anyone walking around with such a figure on their back is, of course, laughed at by bystanders. This is a favourite activity in schools, much to the despair of teachers who spend half the day checking students’ backs.
And then there are the real practical jokes. Think of wobbly chair legs, salt swapped for sugar (yes, even in Tenerife), or a phone ringing endlessly because someone taped it under the table. Some cafés serve only “invisible coffee” on December 28th, and restaurants where the day’s menu consists of “air with ocean view.”
The media join in too
On television, special programmes are aired each year on December 28th, featuring fake news stories, mock interviews, and edited footage. Even major networks take part. What starts as a dead-serious item – like a new highway being built right through Teide – invariably ends in hilarity. Near the end of the broadcast, a disclaimer typically appears: “Todo ha sido una inocentada.”
No malice, just fun
What makes this day in Tenerife so charming is the atmosphere of innocent teasing without spite. The aim is not to humiliate, but to share a laugh. The joke always ends with liberating laughter, and whoever falls for it gets a pat on the back rather than a mocking sneer.
In a society where irony and humour are part of daily life, this day offers a welcome outlet. It provides perspective, brings people together, and reminds us that even on an island with a thousand hours of sunshine a year, a bit of shade is welcome too… as long as it’s a joke.
April 1st in Tenerife is not a day for jokes, and no fish are stuck to people’s backs. But if you happen to be in Tenerife on December 28th, be warned: nothing is what it seems, and everyone is a potential prankster. Laugh, give a wink, and if you fall for it: breathe in, sigh out, and proudly say: ¡Inocente, inocente!
calendarr.com © Photography
April 1st in Tenerife ©
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