The Wishbone – A True Thanksgiving Tradition

After your family pigs out and enjoys the biggest feast of the year on Thanskgiving Day do you have 2 people break the wishbone?

When I was a kid, and usually kids get the honor we would fight over who got to break the wishbone from the turkey every year.  You would make a wish, and each take an end and pull. After it snapped the legend says that whoever is holding the bigger piece will have their wish come true.

I'm wishing for peace and quiet! LOL Black Friday is a day we all need it.

Here is the literal legend of the wishbone which I found on Uncommongoods.com It actually started with chicken wishbones.

Legend has it that the Etruscans began the wishbone tradition. They believed chickens had fortune telling powers, so in the event that a chicken was killed and consumed for a meal, the sacred collarbone was saved and left to dry in the sun. Tribe members were allowed to make a wish while stroking the drying bone.

The Romans took many of the Etruscan customs as their own and since everyone wanted good fortune, they fought over the bones, breaking them. The tradition eventually was passed on to Europe and America.

It is said that the phrases "I need a lucky break" or "I never get a break" come from being the loser in this tug of chicken bone contest.