April fool's day is nearing fast so be on your guard. Let it down come April 1st and you will be sorry. How many of you have prepared yourself and said you wouldn't over the past years be caught out, but have.  Yet once again you the idiot fall victim again to another's prank. Keep that guard up at all times because some pranks are darned right cruel and embarrassing. Make this April fool's day, "your" day where you turn prankster. While you busy yourself thinking of jokes and tricks to play on others you lessen the odds of you being caught out. This is because you have the event and what it's all about on your mind making it hard for you to forget, and forgetfulness is the primary reason why so many folk fall brunt to everyone else`s tricks and practical jokes.

What makes April 1st so special? Well it`s a time when you get away with playing tricks/pranks on people without fear of any come back, however this will depend on what type of prank you play and the sort of person you play it on, so be careful.

If you can keep a straight face while all about you are losing theirs then you will succeed in pulling your prank or trick off. Giggling and laughter and doing unusual things to the buildup will alert your victim.

I feel a bit of a baddie in saying this but one prank I believe to be the best of all is putting all the clocks in the house an hour forward so that your victim gets to work early or other. Have your running shoes on ready for their return because sometimes this may not be seen as funny and especially more so if that person likes their sleepy eye, or worse still if it is a woman in need of her beauty sleep.

Wet your hands then walk up behind your victim and go ACHOO and flick the water on them.

Park your victim's car late at night in another parking place. They will think it is stolen. Make sure you are insured to do this.

This prank is old hat but works every time. Put a small hole in a 5 pound note and tie a long strand of invisible string through it (or fishing wire/string). Next, put the money on the ground and hide holding the other end of the string ready to tug when your victim tries to pick it up.

Put water in a bucket and place it against your neighbor's door; ensure you keep it leaning against the door now knock and run.  Be careful with this prank.

Smear the handle of a refrigerator or the lower portion of the doorknob with butter. They fall for it all the time

Sprinkle talcum powered in the hair drier or into the hairbrush

Tie string to a plastic frog or rubber snake and make it jump on the victim suddenly.

It is a good idea to have a partner in crime if it includes prank phone calls being made as it is a great possibility they will know it is you on the other end of the telephone. Ask a partner to give a ring to the victim's telephone and engage him in an interesting conversation while you dangle a creepy crawly at their side facing them and watch their response.

Other prank ideas to get a laugh

The pen that once the cap is removed gives a slight electric shock

Fake rubber or unpleasant-tasting sweets

Fill an empty perfume bottle with garlic juice

Tomato ketchup will act as blood if you need it for a prank. Pranks that involve pretence of a wound or deep cut can seriously frighten your victim. Only do something like this if you are certain they won`t have a heart attack.

The fake car scratch trick is hilarious when your victim sees their pride and joy damaged

Place a transparent plastic sheet on the best carpet and spill ink or blackcurrant juice on it

Fill the toothpaste tube with cake cream but not with anything that can harm your victim

Don`t rush your victim to participate because they will smell a rat. First thing in the morning is the best time to play your pranks on someone because they are still half asleep so as to speak making them more vulnerable. It is also a sensitive time also for upsetting them. It's a catch 22 situation. You decide. Remember that even pranksters get caught out all the time so keep your guard up.

Place fake spiders in the cornflakes box

Swap milk in the bottle with milk of magnesia

Last but not least an all time favorite is the winning lottery ticket. It is a prank created so your victim believes you have won the lottery.

What to do:

1) Record the lottery ticket drawing on your video recorder.

2) Buy a lottery ticket that has the same numbers that were the winning numbers on the previous drawing.

3) Set up the recorded drawing so that it is ready to appear when you sit down to watch it with your victim.

4) Place the ticket beside your victim and tell them you`re bursting to go to the toilet and ask them to keep an eye on your ticket till you get back. Of course his/her screams are going to have you coming back at lightning speed. What happens now is up to you - you can tell them the truth right away or prolong the fun. Have them give ideas on what you can spend the money on etc.

Remember that good clean fun is funnier and more times laughed at or laughed about than bad nasty cruel humor. Don`t be known as the evil trickster but as the funny prankster.

The only way that this April fool's day is going to be a fun day for you is when it is at someone else's expense