How many times have you ‘knocked on wood’ for luck? Do you believe it’s actually lucky? Is it just a habit? Or perhaps you do it as a joke. Knocking on wood doesn’t change anything, but then it doesn’t hurt anything either. Unless of course, you knock on wood too hard and damage your knuckles. In England they avoid that problem – their expression is ‘touch wood.’ They often jokingly tap their heads when they say it.
It’s surprising how prevalent this little ritual is. Touching wood or knocking on wood is a superstitious custom that is intended to bring good fortune or ward off bad luck. The earliest references to it only date back to the late 1800’s. But while the phrase may be fairly recent, the origins of this practice may go much further back.
There are a number of possible origins:
- In ancient times, spirits were thought to live in trees. So when danger threatened, it was thought you could summon help from a tree spirit by tapping on a tree.
- Conversely, if you were bragging about your good fortune, knocking on a tree might make enough noise to keep a malevolent spirit from hearing what you said and making you regret it.
- A Biblical theory says that the wood symbolizes the cross of the crucifixion. In Galatians (6:14) it says ‘May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ…’ Touching wood thus becomes a way to atone for a boast by turning your thoughts to the cross.
- There is an old Irish notion that you should knock on wood to thank the leprechauns for good luck.
- During the Spanish Inquisition, the Jews had to worship in secret. Since their synagogues were made of wood, they developed secret knocks to gain admission. Because the practice saved lives it was good luck to ‘knock on wood.’
- Remember playing ‘tag’ when you were young? A common version of the game involved designating a tree as a safe zone. So touching the tree meant you could not be tagged and was therefore good luck.
- In the era of muzzle loaders during the eighteenth century, they would knock on the wooden stock of their muzzle loader to settle the black powder charge. That helped ensure the gun would fire cleanly. Knocking on wood was a way to promote a good outcome.
As with many customs, this one is probably rooted in one or more of these historical traditions.
For many folks there is something satisfying and comforting about it. Mentally, we often will ignore any negative outcomes but strongly associate the ritual with positive results; “I knocked on wood and we won the game!” Touching wood may not change any actual outcomes but it can change our perceptions of those outcomes.
If you are going to knock on wood, please be sure you choose a good, solid hardwood. Those composites and paper look-a-likes won’t do. You don’t want to tempt fate and risk jinxing yourself.
