Tell a Lie Day is on April 4 and it gives us permission to tell a lie within reason. It comes only a few days after April Fool’s Day and it makes for the perfect companion holiday for those still in the trickster spirit. There are certain times when lying is acceptable. One of which involves bluffing during a game of poker. It’s better to keep a straight face and act as if our hands aren’t as great as they are. Afterall, sometimes being a good liar can pay off!
While the name suggests that the holiday encourages people to tell lies all day long, we would like to think that the day is not an actual celebration of lying but an acknowledgment that lying is part of life, and sometimes people have to lie to make others feel better. Such lies are called white lies and are possibly the only form of lying acceptable within most religions, cultures, and societies.
Other acceptable forms of lying include: lying while playing a game (bluffing), lies made for the purposes of amusement of the liar or other people (jocose lies), and untruthful statements made without any malicious intent (honest lie).
How to Celebrate
While we cannot in good conscience endorse or encourage lying, here are some harmless ways to celebrate this “fictional” holiday:
- Missed April Fool’s Day? Use this day to make up for it by playing harmless tricks on friends, family, and colleagues.
- Make up silly stories about harmless things and recount them to the people around you. Who knows, you may even get a laugh or two out of your listeners!
- Play games that require bluffing.
Read tales that warn people about the dangers of lying.
