Why Do We Snap the Wishbone on Thanksgiving?

When I was a kid, the most exciting part of Thanksgiving was fighting with my four cousins and younger brother over which one of us got to snap the wishbone for the prized wish. Now that I’m hosting my own Thanksgiving dinners, I’m curious about the traditions I took for granted. What’s so special about the wishbone and why do we believe we get a wish from snapping it? It turns out that the history of snapping the wishbone is a little occult (if you’re in your witch-girl era, you might appreciate this) and spans continents.

What Is the Wishbone?

The V-shaped bone between the neck and breast, the furcula (the proper name for the wishbone) serves an essential function for birds including chickens, geese, and turkeys. It helps the wings function properly.

Where Does Snapping the Wishbone Come From?

While we associate the tradition with Thanksgiving, wishing on bones predates Europeans' arrival in the United States. Italians and Germans used poultry bones for divination, according to Kathy Rudder, manager of 17th-century domestic skills at the Plimoth Patuxet Museums in Massachusetts. “The Etruscans thought birds were oracles,” Rudder says, “and so when they would slaughter one, they would try to get as much of that divining power as possible. They would rub the bones."

Used for more practical purposes like predicting the weather and determining marriage order, then finally snapped to grant a wish, poultry bones were helpful in everyday life (like when you grab your tarot deck before making a big decision). As the Romans moved across Europe, they brought the tradition, first to Germany, then to the United Kingdom.

How did we go from regular chicken bones to the wishbone? There’s no evidence of how that transition happened. Rudder speculates that the V-shape made it ideal for snapping.

Did the Pilgrims Snap the Wishbone?

The practice of snapping the wishbone likely arrived with pilgrims as they set foot in Jamestown in 1607, but whether folks snapped the wishbone at the first Thanksgiving is debatable. “Pilgrims were not superstitious,” says Rudder.

However, she’s not ruling it out, either. Mayflower passenger Edward Winslow wrote in his letter home about the first Thanksgiving, “At which time, amongst other recreations, we exercised our arms…” The unspecified recreations could be breaking wishbones, according to Rudder.

How Does Wishing on a Wishbone Work?

Now that we’re well-versed in the lore of wishbones, how to play the game? First, you’ll need a dried wishbone. Wait a few days after Thanksgiving (bummer!) to let the bone dry entirely or remove the bone before cooking the turkey and dry it at 300°F for 2-3 hours.

The game's rules are simple: Two people take either end of the V-shaped bone and pull to snap. Whoever holds the longer piece is granted their wish, though if both people have equally long pieces, both will be granted wishes.

Should You Remove the Wishbone Before Roasting?

Carving the turkey should be a Rockwellian scene of family togetherness. Unfortunately, it’s often much more challenging, one person hacking away while dishes are passed to hangry guests. It turns out carving the turkey is easier without the wishbone in place, so use a paring knife to remove it before roasting (here’s an Alton Brown video for guidance).