Three days after April Fool’s Day, the Dunhams are still decompressing from the annual frenzy that is generated by five pranksters under one roof. April 1st ranks at the top of our list of major celebrations.
In the early years of marriage I was dragged through the April Fool’s tradition by husband, a career jokemaster. It was no fun trying to compete with his level of expertise. (As a child he put dog poop in a sibling’s pillow!) But when the kids came along and husband apprenticed them, I had to get in the game. I began modestly with the old standbys: books in the pillow, traps on the toilet, early morning alarm clocks under beds…and finally reached the big leagues the year I sewed husband’s underwear together.
The competition has gotten so fierce of late, that the formation of alliances is a must. Husband and I began plotting against the children a month in advance. Our biggest hit was a scheme that required a late night setup. Giggling like schoolchildren, we snuck upstairs in darkness to cover bedroom doorways with newspaper and fill the space between paper and door with ping pong balls and popcorn. Suspecting foul play, Beagle emerged from his room with paintball mask donned, armed for an attack.
He responded with flour in the hairdryer that blew into my face when I turned it on. Principessa had a more subtle style. She created a fake ‘Failure To Pay’ parking ticket notice to the tune of $200 which husband was chastised for. Little Peach, a novice at nine, stole and hid everything she could – toothbrushes, curtains, socks – and toilet papered her sister’s room. Husband likened her to a civilian with a water gun trying to fight experienced terrorists.
The house was like a war zone, destroyed within an hour of sunrise. By day’s end, more than 200 pranks befell five Dunhams. No living creatures were harmed and all were applauded for a high level of ingenuity and sportsmanship. Cleaning up the fallout is a bear, but so worth it.
Please share your best pranks so I can begin my list for next year! The stakes are getting higher every year and I need new material.
Deb
Chaos & Clarity 
Sacha
Apr 05, 2013 @ 13:46:41
Fun fun fun and more fun. my favorite is the taping door shoot with ping pong balls – I’m SO doing that next year. We are quiet in the prank category at our house – we’ve been talking about having a pool contractor come in for an informational and possible quote meeting. On April 1 i told my husband that i had arranged a meeting with a contractor and told the contractor just to bring the paperwork cuz it was already a done deal and he could begin immediately. I’m not sure it’s a prank when your husband simply turns pale and is left speechless.
Deb Dunham
Apr 05, 2013 @ 19:54:31
Always great fun when someone thinks money is involved!
momanolian
Apr 04, 2013 @ 12:13:05
I’d like to hire out one of your family members ahead of next April 1st! What purely wholesome family fun. Not enough examples of this in today’s hectic world. Thanks for sharing!