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National Blame Someone Else Day

Give your conscience a break for just one day, and lay all that blame on someone else. Come up with pranks, play a blame-game, and have fun with it.

Attitudes & Emotions People & Relationships Silly & Humorous28

Marketing angleinferred

Leverage the humor and mischief of National Blame Someone Else Day to drive engagement around board games, party games, and comedy content with a tongue-in-cheek 'blame game' theme.

Relevance 28low intent

'It's not your fault—it's National Blame Someone Else Day!' game night promotion
Mystery thriller movie marathon tie-in: 'Who's really guilty?'
Board game bundle deals featuring Clue, Blame Space, and Pass The Blame
Funny social media challenge: #BlameItOnFriday13th confessions and pranks

History

This momentous occasion for people to lie through their teeth and pretend they were struck with a sudden, 24-hour long spell of amnesia, takes place on the first Friday the 13th of every year.

The blame can be pinned on anyone preferred, but remember that at the stroke of midnight, much like Cinderella, people will be turned back into their old selves again!

But, no matter what happens, the brief madness of this particular day can be blamed on Anne Moeller in Michigan, who started the trend in 1982 as an excuse for not keeping her appointments on the fateful day of Friday the 13th. (To be honest, it was really the fault of her alarm clock that didn’t go off, which set off a chain of events that day that all turned into a large amount of bad luck!)

From Ms. Moeller’s deep desire to make all of the bad luck of her day someone else’s fault spawned this lighthearted, silly day that adds a little bit of interest to life. It’s time to celebrate National Blame Someone Else Day!

How to celebrate

Play Board Games That Reveal Who to Blame

Play a classic whodunit role-play game with friends and see who breaks down in tears first! The board game, Clue, is a fun game that can result in blaming someone. Blame Space is a card game that is mean-spirited and petty, and the only way to win is to blame someone else. Another board game that goes along these lines is called Pass The Blame. One other fun option is a role-playing game that focuses on life in the Medieval court, called Game of Blame, where participants bury secrets, blame others, and dodge responsibility for bad things that happen. Any and all of these games could be loads of fun so grab some friends or family members and enjoy blaming each other using these games!

Watch a Film About Blaming Someone Else

Mysteries and thrillers are often all about discovering who is actually responsible for a particular action or crime. Try watching these films that use blame shifting as a form of getting away with something: The Fugitive (1993). In this action film, the wife of a prominent doctor is brutally murdered and he is blamed for it. Based on the 1960s television series of the same name, this film stars Harrison Ford as he tries to prove his innocence as he is chased by a relentless US Marshall, played by Tommy Lee Jones. The Lie (2018). When a young girl kills a friend by pushing her into an icy river, her parents will stop at nothing to protect her from taking the blame. This Canadian-American psychological horror film is a remake of a German film from 2015, titled We Monsters. Blame Game/Das End Der Wahrheit ( 2019). This German psychological and political thriller offers a fictional peek into the inside game of politics, particularly related to intelligence agencies and how they interact with one another. Gone Girl (2014). This American thriller film features Ben Affleck as a husband whose wife disappears, and the story unfolds over who is to blame.

Use the Excuse That Mercury is in Retrograde

Those who are looking for an ongoing, regular excuse to blame someone (or something) else, may find that this is the perfect day for it! If there’s no actual person to blame for mistakes, try using a simple line about Mercury being in retrograde. This happens a few times a year when the planet, Mercury, tends to be moving in an opposite direction to the planet Earth. Astrologists tend to think this is a time for bad luck to happen. Since most people don’t even really know what it really means for Mercury to be in retrograde, simply use the phrase as an excuse for whatever problems might come into play on National Blame Someone Else Day! It might not even be true, but who is going to know?

Make a Blame Someone Else Playlist

The perfect soundtrack to the day would include all kinds of songs about how “it’s not my fault” or some other lyrics along the theme of blaming someone else. Try creating a National Blame Someone Else Day playlist on Spotify or some other music platform. Get started with these song ideas: Blame it on the Rain (1989) by Milli VanilliDon’t Blame Me (2017) by Taylor SwiftBang and Blame (1994) by R.E.M.Blame It On My Youth (2019) by Blink-182

Create Clever Hyjinx and Blame Someone Else!

Invite the family over, then spike their drinks and blame the granny. Or loosen the screws on everyone’s chairs and blame the children. Pour chocolate mousse in people’s shoes and blame the dog… the possibilities are endless! Just remember, at the stroke of midnight, the amnesia will wear off, and those fingers will be hurting from all that pointing. Not only that, but friends are likely to get revenge because they were unfairly set up! So be sure to celebrate National Blame Someone Else Day with just the smallest hint of caution, since it could mean that someone else could eventually turn around and blame something on you!

FAQ

Why do people so often blame others instead of taking responsibility?

Psychologists note that blaming others can protect a person’s self-esteem and reduce feelings of guilt or shame in the short term, because it shifts attention away from their mistakes. However, this “self-serving bias” makes it harder to learn from errors and can damage trust with others over time.

Is blaming someone else ever psychologically healthy?

Occasionally recognizing outside factors—such as bad luck or unfair systems—can prevent people from internalizing all failure and developing depression or low self-worth. Experts emphasize, though, that mentally healthy coping balances this with “internal” responsibility, acknowledging what a person can change while not assuming every negative event is their personal fault.

How does constant blame-shifting affect close relationships?

Chronic blame-shifting in families, friendships, or romantic relationships tends to create a cycle of defensiveness and conflict; one person feels attacked, the other feels misunderstood, and problems rarely get resolved. Marriage and family therapists report that couples who improve most in counseling usually move from blaming each other toward describing their own feelings and specific behaviors they can each change.

What is the difference between explaining behavior and making excuses?

An explanation identifies causes for a behavior in order to understand and improve it, while still accepting responsibility for its impact. An excuse, by contrast, uses those causes to avoid accountability or consequences. Ethicists point out that, for example, stress may explain why someone snapped at a coworker, but it does not remove the obligation to apologize or repair the harm.

Are some cultures more likely to “take the blame” than others?

Cross-cultural research finds that people in more individualistic cultures, such as the United States, are somewhat more likely to credit themselves for success and blame situations for failure. In more collectivistic cultures, like Japan or Korea, people more often downplay individual success and may accept more personal blame to preserve group harmony, even when circumstances contributed heavily to the outcome.

How does social media influence our tendency to blame others?

Studies of online behavior show that social media can intensify “outrage culture,” where users quickly assign blame based on limited information and then move on to the next controversy. This environment rewards simple, emotionally charged accusations over nuanced explanations, which can make it harder for people to admit uncertainty or partial responsibility.

What role does blame play in legal and justice systems?

In legal systems, blame is formally assigned through concepts like guilt, liability, and negligence, based on evidence and defined standards rather than emotion alone. Criminal law focuses on blameworthy intent and actions, while civil law often looks at who is responsible for harm and who should provide compensation, even if no one meant to cause damage.