Knock on wood

Discover the origins of the classic phrase 'knock on wood,' which could be tied to a Victorian-era children's game or have more direct ties to old pagan traditions.

This common superstition has some murky (at best) origins. Here, we get into the history of knocking on wood for luck.

The backstories behind some of the most common superstitions are pretty silly, so why do we still do them today?

According to Webster: leg·end, An unverified story handed down from earlier times, especially one popularly believed to be historical. So what the heck, let’s begin this morning with a histor…

There are a few possible explanations for the superstition, but little agreement on which may be the true origin.

Superstition: Knocking wood for luck may well come from times when people believed that trees served as the homes for protective spirits or gods. Since trees are so firmly rooted in the earth, knocking wood may have had the additional aspect of intensifying a wish.

The old church door-knocker!

Karla asks: Why do we knock on wood for luck? You’ve probably said this phrase and performed this action countless times, without the slightest clue as to the meaning behind it. So why do we feel compelled to “knock on wood” as an insurance policy against bad luck? Unfortunately, nobody knows for sure and while you’ll often read detailed accounts [...]

Friday the 13th is not just a movie about a guy in a hockey mask with demonic rage issues . It is a real fear for some people. Common superstitions (and their ...