Petty issue now a big issue, because he swore on my deathbed

[ILoveHolidaysAbroad]

We had an anniversary recently. I bought my gift for him well in advance. He went to Asda on the day and clobbered together a gift bag of stuff. All nice enough, but I did mention it was a bit late in the day. One of the gifts was pyjamas. He swore they'd been in his boot for a week. I raised and eyebrow and he swore on my deathbed. Well, today I have found the receipt in the bottom of a bag and he was lying, he did buy them on the day. I now care more about the lying than the fact he bought stuff on the day. Would this bother anyone else?

@ILoveHolidaysAbroadis the time he bought them important because you gave your gift first and then he went out to buy something so it was 'a bit late in the day?' So his lie is to cover up the fact he forgot?

I am old and cynical and I can tell you that anyone who swears on someone’s life is lying, and is an habitual liar.

By the time you are adults (or indeed a teenager) swearing on lives is pretty meaningless. You aren’t about to be struck down. It’s such little deal!

Why is he swearing on your life?

I don't know why so many people are being side-tracked by the wording. The point is OP's husband lied to her over something small. It understandably has raised the question of what else he has lied about and would he also lie about bigger things?

I'm also surprised so many posters seem to find lying in general ok.

I'd be annoyed he'd lied to me but he did make the effort to rush around getting you stuff so I'd let it slide and not tell him I knew he lied. If he didn't get you stuff you'd have more to worry about. Move on and stop dramatising.

I don't know why so many people are being side-tracked by the wording. The point is OP's husband lied to her over something small. It understandably has raised the question of what else he has lied about and would he also lie about bigger things?

He lied -not good in my book - because she put him on the spot about when it was bought.

She did that because she was unhappy that the gift lacked thought - if it had been more thoughtful and bought that late I doubt she'd have questioned it.

She been miffed with the gift but not told him or had a conversation about that instead gone to accusation about when it was bought - he knows he's looking at an arguement not a conversation and lied to avoid - she then "found" evidence that shows he now lied - and she's hung up on that.

I wouldn't like his lie but can see how and why it's happened - but it's in part because she lied about presents being "fine" when she clearly and understandably miffed but clearly feels she can't say that so is casting round for things to be upset about which he clearly understands and is now lying to avoid.

Lying is a red herring - though I think he may well be a habitual liar from phrasing - it's poor communication from both of them and possibly some underlying feelings of not being valued from OP.

I suspect many posters are thinking of times they've been put on the spot got defensives and found white lies slipping out.

I try not to do this as hate being lied to but I have lied to my older family members to head off an argument I couldn't be arsed with when I knew the real issues was something else entirely something they disapproved of and been told not their bussiness and I did not want yet another rehash via a proxy issue - but that's happened bacause they won't communicate properly with me on same level and I'm already frustrated with them.

Having read some of the replies I'm guessing most here lie to their partner. everyone lies to save face or to not hurt.
But she knows he lied. He knows she knows. And he didn't care enough to get rid of the receipt properly. Says it all really.

That's sick.
Your ex could've at least sworn on his own life - the coward.

Yes. It's almost sacriligious.

The fact that he felt he had to "swear on your life" to avoid upsetting you, says a lot more about you than it does about him!

It really doesn't!
And why do we still have people blaming a woman for her partner being a liar?