My calendar photo for the month of April - from 11th April, 2025.
Caroli Church (Caroli kyrka) in Borås is a parish church belonging to the Church of Sweden, and the oldest preserved building in our city, dated from the 13th-century. It was rebuilt and repaired after fires in 1681 (when the tower was also added), 1727 and 1822; and went through some further renovations in 1914-1915 and 1938-1940. If I go to a church service during the major holidays like Christmas and Easter, this is usually where I go.
1st April today, and "April Fools' Day" - which I understand is quite an international tradition. For me it's been Laundry Day, meaning I have not been out; and as far as I know, I don't think I've come across any fake news - although I kind of wished that one of the things announced on national TV this evening would turn out to be... (It's election year, and political parties are as usual conspiring to try and make new deals to convince voters that they'll be able to form a "stable " government...)
The probably most famous Apil Fools' joke from Swedish television goes way back to 1962, when they claimed that if you pulled a nylon stocking over your black and white TV, you'd be able to watch colour TV! And it's said that some people actually tried... (I remember it, but I don't think my parents fell for it!)
The actual introduction of official, regular colour TV in Sweden started on 1 april 1970. No joke this time, but only six hours per week to begin with!
The first time I watched colour TV was at my maternal grandfather's house when there was an ice hockey world championship going on - I think it must have been 1971. I was not really all that impressed, because when the players were skating fast over the ice, they kind of left the colours of their costumes behind them on the screen!
That glimpse of Caroli Church—rooted in centuries of quiet endurance—pairs beautifully with your understated April Fools’ reflection, where even the absurdity of a 1962 TV prank feels almost plausible against today’s political theatre.
ReplyDeleteWhat a history this church has! Do you know what the pretty blue flowers are?
ReplyDeleteWith my family and also with O.K., we have an agreement that we're not playing any April Fool's tricks on each other, and I'm happy with that. But we all look out for the jokes in the local paper or TV news, and usually there are some harmless, more or less funny ones around. (Haven't come across any this year, though - or I did not "get" them!)
ReplyDeleteFunnily enough, I first watched colour TV also at my maternal grandparents'! My Opa loved all things technology, and the newer, the better, so it was a no-brainer that he had to have a colour TV early on; it must have been more or less around the same time as yours.
At home, we still had a B/W TV for many years, but my Mum says that I saw things "in colour" even on that one - and I actually do remember a cartoon film I watched when I was about 4 years old (1972), about a fish that looked different from the other fish in its school, at first being teased by the other fish but eventually saving the entire school and becoming their hero. I "know" that this fish was red; I can still recall it in front of my inner eye, but in reality it was just a different shade of grey. That's just one example that I personally remember, others were told by my Mum but I can't recall them.
The most famous April Fool joke here was broadcast on television in 1957. This is the link. So many people believed it was true!!
ReplyDeletehttps://youtu.be/8scpGwbvxvI?si=IgBsr5BsVCbM5rD6