Crossing our fingers for luck predates Christianity and originally involved two people.
In the pagan ritual, a close friend placed his or her index finger over the index finger of the person making the wish in order to help trap the wish at the centre of a perfect cross, which is where benevolent spirits lived.
To ensure the wish stayed in place and on the wisher’s mind, it was often tied to the finger with string, a practice that eventually evolved into a memory aid.
See also:
- Why Do Some People Cross Their Fingers to Make a Wish Come True?
- What Does the Term Criss-Cross Mean and How Did It Originate In the 16th Century?
- What Does Cross-Contamination Mean In Gluten-Free Diets?
- Where Did the Phrase “Double-Cross” For a Betrayal Come From and What Does the Idiom Mean?
- Why Are Some People Born Cross-Eyed and What Is It Called If They Point Outward?
