# Cross Your Fingers!

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cross-your-fingers/711878>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [February 5, 2015, 11:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cross-your-fingers/711878 "2015-02-05T11:59:50Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Jinx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Jinx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jinx)\
**Post date:** [February 5, 2015, 11:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cross-your-fingers/711878/1 "2015-02-05T11:59:50Z")

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It seems the act of crossing one’s fingers of which I am most familiar is a sign of good luck. For example, we always crossed our fingers for good luck as a kid. Only on sitcoms and cartoons did I become familiar with a twist to this practice where crossing one’s fingers while making a promise exempts the person from the obligation. Where do these two customs come from (at least, these are the customs I know of within the USA)? Did Hollywood introduce the latter? Last, does the act of crossing one’s fingers have a Christian undertone, like forming a cross with your fingers by the act of crossing them? What’s the factual SD?

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**Author:** ![bob\_2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bob_2/32/3341_2.png) [@bob\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bob_2)\
**Post date:** [February 5, 2015, 12:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cross-your-fingers/711878/2 "2015-02-05T12:09:27Z")

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It seems that it comes from a time when being a christian was something secret and the crossed fingers were a sort of secret sign like a Masonic handshake.

> [@](#):
>
> As the gesture evolved, people used it not just for God’s favour or luck, but to ward off evils and illnesses, among other things. These days, you don’t even have to cross your fingers, with many simply saying “fingers crossed” or “I’ve got my fingers crossed for you,” as a way to say “good luck.”

> **[Why Do We Cross Our Fingers for Luck and When Lying?](http://www.todayifoundout.com/index.php/2014/03/cross-fingers-luck-lying/)**
>
> Rouise asks: Why do we cross our fingers for luck and when we’re lying?  It’s odd that the same gesture is used for both. Turns out, people have been crossing their fingers for luck for centuries. The exact origins of this practice aren’t...

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**Author:** ![OldGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/3bc359/32.png) [@OldGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OldGuy)\
**Post date:** [February 5, 2015, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cross-your-fingers/711878/3 "2015-02-05T16:02:44Z")

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> [@Jinx](#):
>
> Only on sitcoms and cartoons did I become familiar with a twist to this practice where crossing one’s fingers while making a promise exempts the person from the obligation.

I knew this custom as a kid in the late 50s early 60s. I don’t think it came from a TV or cartoons. The usual sequence was" You promised!" “Nut uh I had my fingers crossed.” and you’d pull your hand from behind your back with your fingers crossed. (One did not do this with parents or teachers of course.)