An Updated List of the Internet’s Best April Fool’s 2014 Jokes

Lisa Raphael
Apr 01, 2014

April Fool’s Day can be tricky. Three of your friends already texted to tell you they’re pregnant (they’re not), there was a whoopee cushion on your seat at work (yes, they still make those) and your old friend the Internet is bombarding you with lies— lies! Fake releases, bogus announcements and click bait that you can’t believe you fell for. Again.

Invisible Tattly: Our favorite designy temp tattoo makers made us giggle with their April Fools’ Day special edition tat made with a safe, non-toxic ink from a rare squid found in Brooklyn’s Gowanus Canal. We knew this was a prank because any ink made from a Gowanus squid would definitely turn your skin fluorescent green.

Our ‘90s Takeover: The glittery site redesign and the love for Lisa Frank may have been a winky face in the spirit of the holiday, but we’re serious about our ‘90s love all year round. Plus, it gave us an excuse to wear our favorite outfits of the decade to the office.

Kodak Picture Kiosk Drone: Taking cloud service to whole new heights, Kodak launched little insta-pic drones — like Polaroid cameras with wings. Hey, we don’t hate the idea of a flying photobooth.

The Honda Handmade Series: We love the mock maker spirit in Honda’s faux-mercial for their new DIY car, but even we don’t know if we want to share the road with homemade creations. PS, can someone get this couple a spinoff? They could give Portlandia’s Fred and Carrie a run for their fair trade money.

Au Jus Cleanse: Fiiiinally — a juice cleanse for meat lovers, right, guys?? Our SF-based buds, The Bold Italic posted this and made us laugh so hard we puked. Or maybe that was the thought of sipping on bottled beef blood all day…

Airbrb: Cash in every time you leave your desk with the new space-sharing app from Airbnb. The cleaning fees must be cheap, maybe like, an extra $0.50 for a Clorox wipe per use?

The Edibox: An Edible Domino’s pizza box? Well… we wouldn’t not eat it…

Dolphin Rainbow Lasers: Step aside, cats, there are other animals on the Internet. NOVA gets all adorable with an April Fool’s post on how scientists accidentally created rainbow lasers after beaming light in front of dolphins. Is it too late to join forces with them on our Lisa Frank roundup?

Nokia 3310: Huh, somehow we missed the news of Nokia’s throwback update for their latest phone… If you want to play Snake again THAT badly, there is an app for that.

Oranges vs. Apples: Here’s a look at what a more serious publication like The Economist does on April Fool’s Day: Make an intricate little charticle about the top thing that “rankles data mavens”… apples and oranges. You can almost hear their smartypants staff snickering at the subhead, “A fruity look at unrelated variables.” (To be fair, we did too.)

: Toms + Uber is a collaboration we would definitely be down with. Though Ubering up a ride via foot + cardboard car, is not exactly what we had in mind (

on the map though is everythinnnnggg).

HTC Gluuv: We’re always on the lookout for new wearables that work seamlessly with the other gadgets in our lives — like our boomboxes!

Virgin America + Nest: Oo, another collabo between companies we love. Smart home meets smart plane with a personalised Nest-controlled climate option in every seat on Virgin America flights. Hmm. Actually, can this one be real?! Please!

Hall & Oatesmeal: Here is an example of April Fool’s Day online trickery at its finest. Thrillist posted about Daryl and John’s plans to release the “only Hall & Oates-endorsed oatmeal” featuring flavors like Maneater, Rich Swirl and You Make My (Peaches &) Creams Come True. USDA Organic too!

Foot Bras: Warning: This prank might make you a tad queasy. THE BEFORE AND AFTER PIX, I MEAN…

Netflix: Sizzling Bacon: Netflix Is the New Breakfast Meat with a 20 minute movie that documents the thrilling creation of crispy, greasy post-pig product. Maybe the funniest part of this trick is that when you’re done with the mockumentary, Netflix suggests you watch Kevin Bacon movies next. Seriously.

Clearly Rotisserie Chicken should be next on your queue…

*NSYNC Reunion Tour: Joining us in ‘90s-themed pranks today are the boys of “Bye Bye Bye.” Lance got a little cray with his Twitter privileges and Tweeted that the fellas would be reuniting for a reunion tour next year. Some how we also think the line in their Twitter bio about the account being run by @jtimberlake is also an April Fool’s Day joke :’(

The Twitter Helmet: So weird, a giant social network “pre-announces” a wacky new product on April 1. Wild. Twitter blogged about a new helmet that allows users to send out 140 character updates via a “pecking” head motion. Blue Bird, you can do better than this.

Kitten Bra Fitting: K, this wins for cutest April Fool’s trick so far today — our lovely friends at True&Co. are advertising their new bra fitting process using kittens. Peta, they’re just foolin’!!

Bro Nail Art: Sephora nailed it on Twitter with a pic of fingerpaint meant for bros to express their inner selves through a new beauty routine. Dudes, you’re used to having pizza on your nails, let’s just make it art.

BMW ZZZ Series: The ultimate driving machine made the ultimate sleeping machine, a souped up, lay down crib for little ones.

The Backwards Marathon: Running company JackRabbit got NYC runners good this AM, announcing a whole 26.2 mile race for “rennurs” aka those who love running backwards. Hey, that would take some serious thigh strength — we’re in!

Cats You May Know: Cats, the Internet loves you on this day and all days. LinkedIn launched a new feature to connect you with the felines you might know (Prissy Sissy, Pooptart, Furrgus to name a few) professionally and personally (Paws-onally? Nah.). Let’s hope that whole “your real email address shows up on your profile” is an AFD stunt too…

We’ll be updating our guide all day so stick with us for warnings and some things we thought were actually pretty clever. Share your favorite (and least favorite) stunts you find with us below!

Upgrade Your Thanksgiving With A Crescent-Roll Cornucopia

This edible crescent-roll cornucopia is our way of making a normal cheese boardmore festive — and definitely more fun — during the holiday season. Our go-to this time of year is a massive cheese plate that can stand alone and be the main attraction, or the starter for a larger meal. Press on for the surprisingly easy steps to braid a breaded cornucopia.

Chris Andre

Materials + Tools:

  • 1 roll of tin foil
  • 2 packages of crescent rolls
  • 1 egg (for egg wash before cornucopia goes into the oven), optional

Chris Andre

Instructions:

Start by sculpting tin foil into the shape of a cornucopia (it looks like a cone with an upturned tail). Pro tip: Lightly pack tin foil so it's easier to remove later from your baked cornucopia. Crescent rolls should be buttery enough that this shouldn't be difficult.

Chris Andre

Your tin foil mold should look a little something like this.

Chris Andre

Pop open the crescent rolls and cut the triangles into strips. Pinch together the ends of strips to make strips longer.

Chris Andre

Braid crescent roll strips. You can make these as fancy as you want. Not a braiding pro? Skip this step and leave those strips alone.

Chris Andre

Wrap tin foil cornucopia with braids/strips. Make sure you cover all the tin foil. Leave a little wiggle room at the opening of the cornucopia, so that when you’re done baking you can pull some of that tin foil out.

Chris Andre

Use any extra dough to cover the bottom of your cornucopia. Pinch the sides and anchor those braids/strips in.

Chris Andre

Brush on egg wash before placing your cornucopia in the oven. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 minutes. Take out of oven and cover spots of cornucopia that are already golden brown with extra tin foil. Bake for another 20 minutes at 250 degrees Fahrenheit.

Chris Andre

Let it cool down until it’s easy to handle. Remove tin foil.

Chris Andre

Place cornucopia in corner of your cheese plate. Arrange cheese on your serving tray.

Chris Andre

Add crackers — we like to have two or three options.

Chris Andre

Don’t forget to fill up your cornucopia. It's called "the horn of plenty" for a reason. Fill with fresh fruit like grapes, apples, and pears.

Chris Andre

Add nuts like walnuts and pistachios to fill in any empty spaces. Garnish with fresh herbs like rosemary and sage to finish it off.

Chris Andre

Voilà! Invite over your friends, open a bottle of wine, and dig in!

Chris Andre

A cornucopia cheese board will become your new favorite holiday tradition.

Show us your crescent-roll cornucopias on Instagram and check out our baking classes (and our Easy Thanksgiving Desserts piece) for more holiday food inspo!

DIY Production and Styling: Paris Fried

Paris Fried: Paris loves any excuse to celebrate and throw a themed party. She loves experimenting in the kitchen and has a terrible sweet tooth. When she's not crafting in her studio, she's at the farmers' market buying seasonal produce or at her favorite local theater watching double features.

This post has been updated.

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Your Ultimate Guide To Holiday Shopping In 2024

Though Black Friday is traditionally the official start of the holiday shopping season, we argue that it’s been kicking since mid-October. We know, we know: it still feels extremely early to start thinking about the holidays, but they’ll be here before you know it! Plus, many brands and retailers are already promoting their holiday goodies with plenty of sales and discounts available right now.

If you’re ready to embark on your holiday shopping journey, but still need answers to questions like ‘when’s the best time to shop?’ and ‘where should I shop for gifts?’ and even ‘how the heck do I save money this season?’, you’ve come to the right place. Consider this your go-to guide for holiday shopping in 2024.

Scroll on for our best guidance on navigating this busy time of year and finding the best gifts possible!

When's the best time to do holiday shopping?

Kaboompics / PEXELS

The best time to do holiday shopping really all depends on your personal shopping goals. Do you want to get a jump on items you know will sell out soon? Do you want to save the most money possible? Do you want to focus on handmade, personalized gifts? These factors will undoubtedly influence your holiday shopping schedule.

Cottonbro Studio / PEXELS

Shopping early can be advantageous for all of the aforementioned goals. A lot of retailers start promoting their holiday products early on, giving you ample time to snatch up that limited-time lip kit or fancy water bottle you’ve been eyeing way before the holidays.

Plus, some of the best deals for holiday shopping happen ahead of Black Friday and Cyber Monday – in 2023, Experian observed a surge in early spending in October, thanks to early discounts, a trend likely to continue in 2024.

Finally, shopping early can be especially helpful if your plan is to focus on handmade or personalized gifts, giving the artisan you buy from (or yourself, if you’re DIY-ing your gifts) plenty of time to craft the item with love and care.

Gallup reported in 2023 that one in four shoppers start shopping as early as September, a trend likely to continue in 2024 – so you might already be embarking on your shopping spree!

Mikhail Nilov / PEXELS

If right now is just still too darn early for you to start holiday shopping, Black Friday and Cyber Monday are some of the best times to shop since so many retailers offer their largest discounts of the entire year. Plus, the late November-early December timeline can feel a bit more appropriate for the gifting season opposed to late October-early November, when everyone’s still recovering from Halloween.

The only thing to consider during this time is the shipping timelines for the items you purchase – but most retailers will typically advise their specific shipping schedules, so you don’t risk your goodies arriving late.

Where should I shop for gifts?

Ron Lach / PEXELS

You have three main options when it comes to where to shop for holiday gifts: online, in-store, and via our amazing gift guides. Of course, each method has its advantages and disadvantages.

Shopping in-store offers a tangible experience: the opportunity to hold specific items in your hands and gauge exactly what they’ll be like when you give them as a gift. The pitfall with shopping in-person is that it typically requires a commute and journeys through potentially very busy malls and shopping strips, which can add to the already-stressful holiday experience.

In-store shopping can be more physically exhausting, but it’s all about preference! Sometimes strolling through the stores that get all dolled up for Christmas is the best part of the season.

Andrea Piacquadio / PEXELS

Per Google, 65% of those planning to shop for the holidays say they will shop online more. Shopping for gifts online can be super helpful since you can centralize your findings in your browser’s bookmark tab or via virtual cart(s). Plus, shopping online can pose more opportunities for saving some money: lots of retailers typically offer discount codes for online users, especially if you sign up for their digital marketing channels (like email and text) and make a purchase.

Shopping online isn’t just shopping, either. The internet can be a stellar research tool to help you vet whether certain products are worth it, where they can be bought, and when they’ll be available. In fact, Google reported that more than half of U.S. holiday shoppers who went into a store last year say they looked up product reviews online and/or located an item in-store by checking it online.

Kaboompics / PEXELS

Last but not least, scrolling gift guides has to be our favorite place to shop for gifts – and not just because we write and publish them.

At their very core, gift guides help streamline the holiday shopping process, alleviating the stress that bubbles up when you’re wondering what the heck to shop for in the first place. Our gift guides are backed by real people, real experiences, and real opinions from our editorial team. We only promote products that we really love and believe in, oftentimes ones we’ve tested and reviewed ourselves.

We have gift guides for just about everyone on your list, with more on the way! Check ‘em out:

What are the best kinds of gifts to give?

Kaboompics / PEXELS

The best kinds of gifts to give are thoughtful gifts that consider the giftee’s interests, wants, and needs. These gifts can be sentimental, practical, or both simultaneously. What matters most in a gift is that it’ll be meaningful to them past just the holiday season, whether it’s helping them get through daily tasks, reminding them of a memorable trip or event, or giving them small doses of joy.

“Shoppers are increasingly looking for personalized and unique gifts that reflect the recipient's personality and interests,” says Mia Anderson, Owner of ChicSew. “With the rise of online shopping, many consumers are opting for curated gift boxes or experiences that add a special touch.”

Cottonbro Studio / PEXELS

Gift boxes, personalized items, books of interest, self-care goodies, and even gift cards can all be thoughtful gifts depending on the recipient. If you have no clue what your giftee is into, it’s not a bad idea to ask them what they want the most!

“My idea of a great gift is something that is in tandem with the recipient's interest and offers something new to the person, be it learning a new skill, enjoying a calming activity, or simply spending quality time with the family,” says Alfred Christ, Sales Manager & Marketer at Robotime. “This season, we encourage shoppers to shift their focus on quality and the memories their gifts will create and not just merely material aspects.”

When is Black Friday?

Sora Shimazaki / PEXELS

Black Friday is always the Friday after Thanksgiving. This year, Black Friday lands on November 29.

When is Cyber Monday?

Kindel Media / PEXELS

Cyber Monday is typcally the Monday after Thanksgiving. This year, Cyber Monday will land on December 2. Oftentimes, retailers and brands extend their online offers through the week (coined Cyber Week) after the event. Salesforce reported that 67% of shoppers in 2024 plan on shopping during Cyber Week!

Subscribe to our newsletter to stay up-to-date on our best 2024 gift guides, shopping advice, and all things holiday!

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When Is Starbucks' Red Cup Day?

The holidays at Starbucks are creeping up on us, people! Peppermint Mocha season will return on November 7. If you’re a die-hard Starbucks fan, you know Red Cup Day is a whole holiday in itself – the frenzy for a free reusable cup is truly no joke. There’s even an entire website dedicated to counting down the madness! Even though there’s no official word on when Red Cup Day 2024 will be, there are several clues that cue us into the annual event. Scroll on for details!

What is Red Cup Day?

Starbucks

Red Cup Day is Starbucks’ highly-awaited annual event that marks the start of holiday beverage season at the coffee chain. For one day only (and while supplies last), customers who order any of Starbucks’ holiday drinks will receive a reusable red cup that features a bespoke design for the respective year.

Starbucks

Here’s a list of all the drinks rumored to be available on the Starbucks holiday menu starting November 7:

  • Peppermint Mocha
  • Peppermint White Chocolate Mocha
  • Caramel Brûlée Latte
  • Sugar Cookie Almondmilk Latte
  • Chestnut Praline Latte
  • Salted Pecan Crunch Cold Brew
  • Iced Gingerbread Oatmilk Chai

What do the red cups look like for 2024?

Starbucks

Starbucks hasn’t officially announced when Red Cup Day will be for 2024, let alone what the famed red cups will look like this go-around. The one obvious point is that the cups will be red! They’ll also likely feature some festive motifs that echo the holiday season. Last year’s red cups boasted playful white and green stars and ornament-like shapes.

Why should I participate in Red Cup Day?

Starbucks

Red Cup Day = freebies, which can feel really rewarding if you’re really into receiving free goodies. Plus, it’s just a fun way to lean into the holiday spirit. The red reusable cup keeps giving beyond Red Cup Day, though! Every time you use the reusable cup for future Starbucks orders, you get a 10-cent discount as well as 25 bonus stars toward your Starbucks Rewards account to save up for more discounts on drinks, food, and merchandise.

When is Starbucks' Red Cup Day 2024?

Starbucks

Again, Starbucks hasn’t alerted us on when Red Cup Day will be for 2024, but based on previous Red Cup Days, we can infer it’ll land on the third Thursday of November. In 2022, Red Cup Day happened on November 17, and for 2023, it was November 16. The third Thursday of November in 2024 hits on November 21, so mark your calendars, everyone!

Additionally, check back here for official info as Red Cup Day approaches.

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This post has been updated.

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