Knocking On Wood: Why Do We Do It And What Does It Do?

“Hazel and I have been together for three months and it’s going really well! I have a feeling she is the ‘one’ for me, touchwood”—sentences like these are almost unmistakably followed by three rapid knocks on the closest wooden surface. You must have done it a thousand times without giving it so much of a thought. The knocking on wood superstition is so thoroughly blended in our psyche that it has now become a habit or a custom, if you may.

So, what does knocking on wood signify? The fundamental idea is that after boasting about your affluence or accomplishments, you get concerned. What if it all goes away? You don’t want to jinx anything, right? That’s when the knocking ritual comes in handy. It is said to lift the curse and protect your good fortune as it was. Now, if you are hooked on the concept, let’s dig deeper into ‘where does knock on wood come from?’ and when to use it.

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How Did ‘Knocking On Wood’ Superstition Originate

Can you imagine this good luck superstition is as old as 2500 years? And there are not one, not two, but three different theories to unravel ‘when and where does knock on wood come from?’. We will get to them one by one:

Time for a quick history recap. Long before there were many organized religions in the world, many pagan groups lived in Central and Western Europe, Celts being one of them. They were nature worshippers and polytheistic (believers in multiple gods).

Celts were dead set on the idea that inside the trunk of a tree is the dwelling place of holy spirits, and other supernatural entities. Trees like oak, ash, and willow were considered especially sacred in paganism.

Folklore recounts how these people touched or tapped on wooden branches to invoke the divine spirits. It was a plea for protection under the supreme power of gods. Some interpret it also as a gesture of gratitude for good luck.

Later on, Christians associated ‘touchwood’ with the wood of Christ’s crucifixion and adopted this heathen tradition as their own. However, if you argue, “Is knocking on wood a sin?”, Catholic churches may agree. They would quote Leviticus 19:3, “Do not turn to ghosts or consult spirits, by which you will be defiled. I, the LORD, am your God” and forbid you to turn to pagan rituals.
Those days people believed invisible demons were listening to them and looking for chances to cause harm. Another theory behind the knocking on wood superstition is built around this faith. This practice prevailed to drive away evil spirits after saying something about a person’s good fortune.

Further research links this custom to a 19th-century British playground game called ‘Tiggy Touchwood’. As described in the book The Boy’s Modern Playmate, players could shield themselves from being tagged by touching a post or any other wooden object nearby and shouting “Touchwood”. Adults picked up on the idea of trees/wood safeguarding humans. Over the years, they shaped it as a ritual convenient to them and that’s where the belief of knocking on wood comes from.

Now here’s an interesting thing. Whether you are reading this from the farthest corners of Asia, the Middle East, or the American countries, you share the same tradition only in different forms. Let’s explore touchwood examples from various regions and cultures:

Italians call it tocca ferro and they touch iron objects instead of wood
The Turkish version involves a gentle pull on one earlobe followed by two knocks on the wood
In Southern European and Middle Eastern countries, people knock on their heads instead of wood
A Reddit User writes, “In Sweden, the phrase ta i trä is usually combined with hitting your head followed by hitting something made of wood, like a table”

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Why Do People Knock On Wood

By now you must have developed a clear perception of how this superstition originated and persisted for ages on the face of the earth. While it made sense until 200 years ago, the question arises, “Why are people still following it?” Why do they knock on wood for good luck despite living in the greatest era of scientific advancement? There are a few explanations behind it:

To begin with, it’s a faith people have been fostering since an archaic age. It’s not easy to let go of something that’s been a part and parcel of our belief system for so long
According to anthropologist Bronislaw Malinowski’s ‘anxiety-ritual’ theory, from prehistoric times, whenever people felt pangs of anxiety, they resorted to or devised new magical rituals. These practices always had a strong impact on reducing anxiety. They could regain lost control over a situation and function normally again. Simply put, knock on wood and other superstitions act like mental support in a crisis
Another study offers an interesting insight. It suggests superstitious rites stimulate the placebo effect in humans. As a consequence, the believers performed better in certain cognitive tasks than the skeptics

So, we can say that people tap on wood to brush off negative energy and make room for all things lucky and positive. But the real reason lies in how the superstitions psychologically manipulate them into believing that these rituals really are effective.

RELATED ARTICLE: Does Walking Under A Ladder Bring Bad Luck?

When To Knock On Wood?

We can assume you have a knack for relying on age-old customs. Or perhaps you never had to knock on wood and now you are just curious. If you are wondering “Which superstition is similar to knocking on wood?”, ‘crossing fingers’ and ‘throwing salt over your shoulder’ are along the same lines. Now, when to use knock on wood for the best results? Here are a few examples:

After boasting about your accomplishments: “I have never gotten a speeding ticket—knock on wood”
After hoping for your aspirations to come true: “The interview went really well. Hope I get the job, touchwood”
After wishing good health on someone: “You have been working out for so long without any injury…touchwood”
After predicting a positive outcome for the future: “The weather is surprisingly sunny this week. Knock on wood it stays that way on our trip!”

That rounds up our discussion of the knocking on wood superstition. There are thousands of superstitions prevalent across the world. Some have scientific reasoning; some simply hold us back from evolving into a better version.

As long as you know ‘where does knock on wood come from?’ and its implications in our life, you can make an informed decision for yourself. Do you want to use your analytical mind and take a stand or follow the crowd? Time to think!