December 28th. Mexico’s version of April Fools Day. I first heard about this when I was teaching middle school in Culiacan back in 2010. And it’s not just mischievous children who delight in playing pranks on people. There are false newscasts in abundance. And if someone asks to borrow something from you rest assured that you will never see it again.

A common prank is hiding the baby Jesus figurine from the nativity scene. The explanation is that now Jesus is safe from Herod. Yes. King Herod’s soldiers were instructed to find and kill all baby boys under the age of two in Bethlehem, thus eliminating the threat to Herod of Jesus, the king of the Jews.

“Inocente palomita que te dejaste enganar!” Personally, I find it easier to say “April Fools!”