They say that honesty is the best policy, but not on the 4th of April. Not long after the tradition of April Fools comes this unique day to tell a tall tale. As long as it doesn’t hurt anyone, this can be a fun day, especially when not everyone knows about it. You can either spread the word or enjoy the mischief. Let’s find out more.

Origins of Tell A Lie Day

It’s not as though a lie is a turn-of-the-century thing. They have been around since anyone has had to get out of trouble and are even found in Greek mythology in the form of Pseudologoi – the spirits of lies and falsehoods. There is even Dolos, the spirit of trickery, who may embody what this day is all about in some form.

Even the Bible tells stories of lies – just look at poor Adam and Eve, tricked by the cunning snake, which has its own reputation to manage based on this and other representations of being sly.

In stories, a lie is often the basis of the story. Look at the many fairy tales that feature or center around a lie. Everyone knows about the boy who cried wolf from Aesop’s Fables (not Fairy Tales), but other stories include the Serbian folk tale – The Finest Liar in the World.

Of course, the classic liar tale is that of Pinocchio, the 1883 novel which was adapted to the big screen by Disney in 1940. The puppet, who must earn his right to be a real boy by telling the truth, has his nose as the giveaway—it grows with every lie!

Although telling lies is far from acceptable behavior, the day permits certain fun to be had. So let’s delve deeper into that…

How To Observe Tell A Lie Day

Start small – there’s no need to go big and break someone’s heart or hurt anyone’s feelings. Let’s be sensible here. It’s all about having fun. Make a wild claim about something you have done or lead a friend to believe that you have some special talent that you actually do not. Better still, get some friends in on the fib and see how long you can get away with it.

There are, of course, games that involve lying; some board games rely on it, especially card games where a straight face is a must – just look at poker; it is based upon lies and hiding emotions.

Then, there are other games, word games. Two truths and a lie is a popular option, but there are other ways to bluff your friends. No one likes a cheat, but on Tell A Lie Day, anything goes! So, on this day, don’t forget to get involved. The hashtag #tellalieday is always good for a laugh.

This is where you will find other people’s stories of what they have gotten away with. It might even serve as inspiration for your next lie. Remember to reveal the truth later – you don’t want anything to be playing with your conscience!