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You want me to list just one?!

One example would be thanking my Mum for a present that I didn't really like. I always said the present was great even if it wasnt! I knew to my cost that telling the truth didn't go down well!

I have friends who have given me presents for my home that I just could not bear to put on display. I love these people dearly and just could not say what I really thought.

I told my DD2 that only Irish people could learn Irish dancing because a) the classes were miles away, b) we were already run ragged with the ballet, gym, jujitsu, swimming, football, Brownies, Cubs etc, and c) I’d seen the price of those sticky out dresses, cute as they were.

She took the disappointment well, but it was a bit embarrassing when she learned that her new friend had had classes and asked why she was allowed, when she wasn’t Irish. They were both 20 and at art school at the time.

A lot of us seem to thank people for gifts we dont really like. I had to be nice to my sister in law for a machine for scraping new potatoes - a bit like a salad spinner.

The same sister in law told us off for buying them (yet another!) panettone!

Because I was a first time mother and afraid of “germs”, I told my then 2 year old DS that Ice cream vans were “Music vans” that went around playing music to make people happy. My mother in law blew that one apart when she took him to one and bought him an icecream. ? 40 years later, he still hasn’t forgiven me for the cruel deception. ?

We had to rehome a dog because I was going to start work and it couldn't be left alone at home, the dog needed to have company, it wailed all day long.

So we told the children that the dog had been selected to be a police dog (it was a Miniature Pomeranian).

(As an aside, years ago at work, a colleague who was known to be a 'stranger to the truth' was challenged by another colleague, having been caught out at lying, probably for having a sickie. The culprit's defence included "But there's a big difference between a white lie and a dirty lie ". )

I have lied for a LONG time about the timing of my current (very part-time) relationship. I met him while away on holiday with my previous partner (although we WERE in the middle of splitting up). I've always lied to others and said that I met him after the first relationship was over. We actually met 2 weeks before the actual end of the first one. I didn't want to seem like a Jezabel so lied and adjusted the timings a bit.

In my defense, NOTHING happened and no first date occurred until a month after the end of the first one.

Oh fevertree, I laughed out loud at your miniature Pomeranian being selected to be a police dog.

My lovely sister once bought me a horrible fruit bowl in the shape of a large, red strawberry. I said I loved it and used it for many years.
When it was (genuinely) knocked off the fridge and broken, she offered to try and find me another one. I then had to admit I’d always disliked it. ??

My sister in law by marriage always has and still does give me useless Christmas gifts. This year it was two tiny items for holding rings. The slight problem is my wedding ring never comes off and every other ring I possessed was stolen many years ago.

I have, on occasion, received gifts that I haven’t really liked, but rather than hurt the feelings of the person giving them, said “Oh, how lovely”. A little white lie, but much better, in my view, to say that than upset someone who means much more to me than the gift itself, and who bought it with the very best of intentions, and who I would never wish to upset or hurt.

I told my children and Gran Children that the tooth fairy was real and that if they stopped believing in Father Christmas he would stop bringing them presents on Christmas Day. Also that babies grow under the gooseberry bush at the bottom of the garden. I didn even have a gooseberry bush in the garden.

All good fibs

My husband had been released from hospital and was on palliative care.My stepdaughter had installed a baby monitor so that I could move around the house and still keep a very close eye on him.The camera was very small but he spotted it and asked what it was.Thinking quickly I said it dispensed perfume to cover up bad smells,he believed me.He had Alzheimer's .Sadly he died two days later .

Lots of little white lies so as not to hurt feelings, but the big one I always feel guilty about is Father Christmas. I hate that my autistic DGS really, really believes and will be heart broken when he learns the truth.

I hate hurting people's feelings so white lies have been a part of my life. Does that make me weak and feeble? I don't think so. I can and do say what I think if I judge that the time is right. However...one big white lie of mine is actually lying by omission: not to say how hurt I was over a family member's actions and words when I was in my teens. To point it out now would be cruel and achieve nothing and it means more to me to cherish and love that person with all my might and put aside the past so we can make the most of the time we have left.

I tell my dh the odd white lie for his own good - for example " no dear I'm sorry there's no chocolate in the house". All well and good until he comes in from the garden unexpectedly and spots the Kitkat beside my coffee....

Certainly Father Christmas and the tooth fairy. It is part of the imaginative structure of children in our family.

I would.always use a white lie to prevent upsetting someone, but feel happier with the truth wherever possible.

Have always lied about Father Christmas and the tooth fairy to my children, also have lied a lot over the years when receiving xmas presents, not to hurt people.

Oh dear, I've often told my OH I've done something when I haven't gotten around to it yet and then gone and quickly done it. No doubt I'll get caught out one of these days!

whenever I feel its better and kinder to do so usually

Telling my formidable mother in law I loved the very unflattering cardigan she had knitted for me !

Often when people say how are you and I just say fine when I’m not

When I was young I ate the whole box of cookies and blamed it on my brother haha

My mother-in-law constantly sewed and knitted items for our children. I couldn’t bear to tell her they didn’t like most of them (very old fashioned). Luckily I had a niece and a nephew younger than my first two children so could wash them a few times and pass them on within the family!