The wishbone embodies heartfelt wishes and the hope of their fulfillment, a small ceremony that entrusts a wish to a V-shaped bone. Whoever ends up with the longer piece is said to get their wish, and the phrase "lucky break" is often linked to this very custom.
The custom began with the ancient Etruscans, who regarded birds as oracles and would dry a fowl's V-shaped collarbone, stroking it while making wishes. The Romans inherited the practice and turned it into a contest — two people snapping the bone between them — and by way of Britain it crossed to America, where it became a beloved Thanksgiving turkey ritual.
The wishbone embodies heartfelt wishes and the hope of their fulfillment, a small ceremony that entrusts a wish to a V-shaped bone. Whoever ends up with the longer piece is said to get their wish, and the phrase "lucky break" is often linked to this very custom.
After a holiday meal, the bone is dried for a few days, then two people hook their little fingers around the ends and pull. The one left holding the longer piece makes a wish — and keeps it secret until it comes true.