You can show you care for someone by sharing a coffee or tea, remembering their birthday, or spending time with them. But perhaps the way you can show you really care is with a good old fashioned prank. Pranks are mischievous tricks that friends play on each other. They are meant to be good-natured, surprising, and unexpected.
Growing up, I remember our neighbours played a prank on my dad. Over time they learned my dad did not like dill. So one day they gathered up bundles of dill weed and ‘planted’ it all over our yard – in the flower beds and garden, even spelling his name with the dill weed. We had a good laugh!
I remember playing a prank on a friend who had strong political views. I called the campaign office of the party he most despised and invited them to come and set up large political signs on his front yard. He came home to a very big surprise and to this day it is one of our favourite stories.
Whatever your good-natured prank, the results are often very memorable. Looking back, whether I planned the prank or was the recipient, I smile or laugh out loud. Pranks and jokes are a colourful thread through the tapestry of life in your neighbourhood. Building fun and laughter into your relationships with others can make all the difference.
Here is the key: people who like each other prank each other. It may seem backwards, but it’s true. Strangers couldn’t really care less if their neighbours laugh or if they are in on a joke. In college we pranked our favourite professor by putting thousands of paper cups full of water all over his office floor and desk. It took him half the morning to clear a path through to his desk. It was best friends who filled my wife’s college dorm room with balloons from floor to ceiling. Friends have a laugh with each other because they care about each other.
By creating a culture of humour and fun in our own neighbourhoods we demonstrate that we care about the people who live there. While some pranks are mean-spirited, the vast majority of pranks are done with the best intentions to enjoy a laugh together.
The founder of Lululemon, Chip Wilson, played an April fools prank on his neighbours last year. He put up a huge development notice sign on the front of his Vancouver mansion detailing plans for a massive floating helicopter dock in the harbour in front of his house. The neighbours were first irate, then laughed when they read the details – it was just a joke.
We are in a season where many are experiencing stress, mounting pressures, and challenges. If done well, you can bring some light hearted laughter to the people who live around you. A good-natured prank or joke can make others feel connected to a community that sees them, knows them, and understands the value of enjoying one another.
What does fun look like in your neighbourhood?
