By Meghan Tierney
Where Does the Wishbone Tradition Come From?
Have you ever considered the random superstitions that we revere? Traditions have a funny way of morphing as time passes and go on to carry different meanings for different people. Thanksgiving is a time that is rich with rituals and traditions that bring together family, friends, and community. For some, breaking the wishbone is a crucial aspect of the Thanksgiving Day festivities and is a premonition of a favorable future, one that grants all your wishes!
The tradition of wishbones stretches all the way back to Italy in the 8th century, with the ancient Etruscan civilization, who were pioneers of art and culture. Within their belief systems, chickens were a dominating species that were valued for their supposed magical powers. All poultry have a wishbone, and chickens are no exception. The Etruscans would remove wishbones from their chickens and leave them out in the sun to dry, believing the sun would soak up and preserve its powers. Those who participated in this ritual would then carry the wishbone around as a good luck charm and use it as a guiding beam of knowledge and power. The importance of the wishbone was passed on to the Romans, and they took hold of this custom and began snapping the wishbone in half for luck. As the tradition traveled across Europe, the English embraced this ritual as well, and, eventually, it crossed the Atlantic with the pilgrims on the Mayflower. Now, we snap the wishbone in half, and whoever is holding the longer half soaks up the magical powers and is the lucky one. Try your luck this Thanksgiving and snap the wishbone in half!
Game
Want to create a fun new celebration for Thanksgiving Day? Turn the wishbone tradition into a memorable game for the whole table to enjoy!
- Write the names of everyone at the table on small slips of paper.
- Place all the names into a hat or bowl.
- Choose someone to draw two names. The names that are pulled will be the ones to snap the wishbone.
- Before the pull, let everyone else make predictions on who will get the longer half!
- Create a tally sheet of who received the luck each year! Who will be crowned the luckiest?
Not a fan of snapping the bone? Pass the wishbone around the table and have each person express moments of gratitude or times they felt lucky throughout the year. This way, everyone gets to be lucky, and the process creates community rather than competition!
Wishbone Crafts
Want to spread the luck and use a wishbone for a new holiday tradition? Try this simple craft to make use of wishbones to enhance your Thanksgiving table. Begin this craft a day or two before Thanksgiving to allow the clay to fully dry.
Materials
Clay
Paint
Glitter (optional)
Cardstock
Pen
Scissors
Ribbon
Directions
- Using the cardstock, write a custom place card for every member of the Thanksgiving table. Decorate as desired.
- Using the clay, mold it into the shape of a wishbone. Use photos for reference!
- Let the clay molding dry for a day or so.
- Paint the wishbones the desired color and add decorations such as glitter or various fall-themed items.
- Glue the wishbone to the place cards to make a cute and decorative name card.
Congrats, you have learned all about wishbones and are ready to bring the magic to your Thanksgiving celebration!