To knock on wood or touch wood is a way to ward of evil or bad consequences. The origins are unknown, although the Irish are believe to have started this. As they would knock, or touch oak to thank the little people for the good luck you have been having. Other cultures believe the knocking would drowned out what you have said so that the evil spirits wouldn't have heard what you said. Early Christians did this because they believe wood symbolized the cross.

Others believe this to be from a game kids played in the early 1800's called Tiggy Touch Wood. In the game you could not be tagged if you were touching wood.

If no wood is available some people will knock on their head.

LOL interesting. I would have thought it had something to do with wood be a natural element. You know touching something natural to ward off evil or ground it.

I've also heard it originated as a little prayer to the spirits who lived in trees. If you bragged about something or had good luck, you knocked wood so the spirits wouldn't punished you for bragging.

Interesting research there. I never really tested the myth, my desk at school (the only times I need luck are when taking a test) is made of plastic. I'll have to try knocking on my head next time.

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I do this, but really only in jest. And I do believe knocking on one's head is pretty much calling oneself a block(of wood) head.

Yes, I think so, and it's become something funny as opposed to superstition.

But it's like saying God Bless or Gazundheit when someone sneezes ...that started out during the plague because if someone sneezed it meant they probably had the plague and were going to die.

I was actually thinking about that yesterday (a TV Show character was knocking on wood.)...the only thing that came to my mind was that it increased the chance of splinters

I did that to a kid in school... they didnt like it very much They tried to knock HARD on my head -.-

Anyways, thats an interesting tidbit of info. It just goes to show how rediculous some things are when fully understood.

I still knock on wood, I guess out of habit. It's like not opening an umbrella inside...the way my mom explained it to me (and the way her mom explained it to her) is that opening an umbrella inside is showing God you don't trust the shelter he has provided you, or something like that. Man, it used to FREAK OUT my mom when I opened an umbrella in the house.

I definitely find that interesting, I had no clue that's why you dont open an unbrella in the house, thought it had something to do with attracting bad weather or something silly along those lines.

Nice to learn that though