Big Whopper Liar Day is observed annually on September 17th. It’s a day for people to spin fish tales—elaborate fictional stories that exaggerate something that a person has done or has witnessed. In other words, this is a holiday that celebrates big lies known as whoppers.

This is a day on which people can try to outdo one another with their elaborate stories—some people even make a game out of it. While you’re celebrating this holiday, just be sure not to lie for malicious reasons and to use the hashtag #BigWhopperLiarDay to spread the word about it online.

The History of Big Whopper Liar Day

Big Whopper Liar Day began as a contest that was observed in 1989 in New Harmony, Indiana, and was started by realtor and local trickster Aubrey Robison. He would hold an event where people would spin yarns for the entertainment of their friends, neighbors, and family members.

Facts About Fish Tales, Tall Tales, and Folklore

Below are some facts that we’ve uncovered as we tried to do some research on “tall tales.” We hope that you find them as fascinating as we did.

• Vikings believed that a child’s first tooth was lucky, so they made them into necklaces for battle.
• The tradition of the tooth fairy comes from 13th-century Icelandic Eddas.
• In Greek folklore, drinking donkey’s milk results in strong teeth.
• The mummified hand of an executed criminal holding a candle made from the criminal’s fat was supposed to render the person carrying it invisible.
• In folklore, vampires were not only produced by a bite from a vampire but also if the person ate a sheep killed by a wolf, or by being a redhead.

Observing Big Whopper Liar Day

Anyone who wants to observe this holiday can do so by organizing some type of party or another type of event in which they can tell “tall tales” with everyone who attends. It’s also a good day to spread the word about this holiday using the hashtag #BigWhopperLiarDay on your social media accounts.