Polite fiction

Polite fiction is the idea that it's polite to tell little lies—or stories that aren't true—instead of saying hurtful things. For example, if someone gave you a gift that you didn't like, it would be more polite to say something like, "Thank you, it's so creative!" even if it wasn't your style. This way, you still show appreciation to the person but don't hurt their feelings by being honest.