We cross our fingers for luck. We've been doing it for centuries.
But why?
Originally, the gesture needed two people.
It was an ancient Pagan custom
for people to cross fingers with each other.
They believed their wishes would be kept safe
at the point where their fingers crossed, until they came true.
This idea of capturing good fortune
also explains the practice of tying string around a finger.
For Celts and Anglo Saxons,
it would literally tether good luck to a person.
The gesture also has roots within Christianity.
When faced with persecution,
early Christians would cross their fingers
to invoke the power of Christ's crucifixion.
And in a secret handshake,
they would cross fingers with fellow Christians
before gathering together in safety for Mass.
The handshake made the Christian symbol of the ichthus,
or sign of the fish.
It's thought that Christians who were persecuted
would cross their fingers to absolve themselves
from the lies they told to their tormentors.
And that is why we cross our fingers behind our back
when making a promise we don't intend to keep.
In England, in the 16th Century,
people crossed their fingers to protect themselves
from evil coughs and sneezes.
In the 1787 book of popular superstitions
it recommended keeping your fingers crossed after walking under a ladder
until you see a dog.
But it is the gesture's association with good luck
that has stood the test of time.
A recent University College of London study found that crossing fingers
confuses the way our brains process pain signals,
actually reducing painful sensations.
And if that's true, then that would be a bit of good luck for everyone.
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