# Does anyone click their heels when they're extremely happy? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 7, 2013, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-click-their-heels-when-theyre-extremely-happy/660350 "2013-06-07T02:20:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![weef](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/d6d6ee/32.png) [@weef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/weef)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2013, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-click-their-heels-when-theyre-extremely-happy/660350/1 "2013-06-07T02:20:43Z")
Is clicking of heels to express happiness just a cinematic device or do people really do this in the real world? I’ve never done it and have never seen a real person click their heels but I’ve seen it in a handful of movies and TV shows. Maybe people did this more in the old days and at some point it became outdated? ---
**Author:** ![TheChileanBlob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thechileanblob/32/435_2.png) [@TheChileanBlob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheChileanBlob)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2013, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-click-their-heels-when-theyre-extremely-happy/660350/2 "2013-06-07T02:29:01Z")
I think it’s one of those things like the whole town suddenly bursting into a song-and-dance number. ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2013, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-click-their-heels-when-theyre-extremely-happy/660350/3 "2013-06-07T19:55:19Z")
Maybe old shoes were more suitable for heel clicking. ---
**Author:** ![Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/prof.pepperwinkle/32/13627_2.png) [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prof.Pepperwinkle)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2013, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-click-their-heels-when-theyre-extremely-happy/660350/4 "2013-06-07T21:36:22Z")
My younger sister did it for years. But once she passed 40, she developed leg and foot problems and had to stop. I’m sure she was just influenced by TV and movies, but she did do it. ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2013, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-click-their-heels-when-theyre-extremely-happy/660350/5 "2013-06-07T21:36:39Z")
I remember trying it as a kid, but my vertical leap wasn’t good enough to get a good mid-air heel-click. ---
**Author:** ![gracer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8e7dd6/32.png) [@gracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gracer)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2013, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-click-their-heels-when-theyre-extremely-happy/660350/6 "2013-06-07T21:50:23Z")
My SO does, and some of my silly friends. Obviously, it’s not like they were born doing that, they do it 'cause they saw it on 't telly and it looked like fun. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2013, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-click-their-heels-when-theyre-extremely-happy/660350/7 "2013-06-08T00:27:57Z")
I spent the year 1970-71 visiting the University of Fribourg. My (unfortunately late) Swiss friend was taking my family for an outing one Sunday. But first he stopped at the local cantonal office to vote, cam out of the office, jumped up and clicked his heels saying, “I have done my civic duty.” He was 40 or 41 at the time. What he voted on was the referendum that allowed women to vote in Swiss national elections. ---
**Author:** ![Yumblie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/76d3ee/32.png) [@Yumblie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yumblie)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2013, 6:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-click-their-heels-when-theyre-extremely-happy/660350/8 "2013-06-08T06:03:46Z")
I used to, but I kept winding up the middle of Kansas, so I stopped. ---
**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2013, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-click-their-heels-when-theyre-extremely-happy/660350/9 "2013-06-08T13:31:10Z")
You know who else liked the clicking of heels? [Jiminy Cricket](http://bit.ly/ZAmvfJ) ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2013, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-click-their-heels-when-theyre-extremely-happy/660350/10 "2013-06-08T13:46:41Z")
I’ve done it but only to be funny. I think it’s probably visual shorthand for the audience. Since it’s a bit gymnastic and certainly not intuitive, it would be interesting to know the origin. Vaudeville, maybe? ---
**Author:** ![kittenblue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ba8739/32.png) [@kittenblue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kittenblue)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2013, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-click-their-heels-when-theyre-extremely-happy/660350/11 "2013-06-08T14:51:30Z")
Wait, are we talking the Wizard of Oz type heel-click where your feet are on the ground, or the dance move where you leap into the air and click your heels together in mid-air? Because I’ve never seen the latter in real life, but the former I’ve seen from time to time. ---
**Author:** ![EmilyG](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/emilyg/32/364_2.png) [@EmilyG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmilyG)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2013, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-click-their-heels-when-theyre-extremely-happy/660350/12 "2013-06-08T15:51:51Z")
I actually did do the jump-and-heel-click thing once when I was happy. Then again, I’m a nutcase anyway. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2013, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-click-their-heels-when-theyre-extremely-happy/660350/13 "2013-06-08T15:54:25Z")
I only click my heels when I’m giving the Nazi salute. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2013, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-click-their-heels-when-theyre-extremely-happy/660350/14 "2013-06-08T22:28:06Z")
I read a review of a biography of Ronald Reagan, which mentioned that before he went to his Inaugural Ball, he looked at himself in a full-length mirror, wearing white tie and tails, and said with delight, “I’m the President of the United States!” Then he jumped and clicked his heels. No cite - can anyone confirm my memory? ---
**Author:** ![Gundy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b782af/32.png) [@Gundy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gundy)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2013, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-click-their-heels-when-theyre-extremely-happy/660350/15 "2013-06-10T18:26:11Z")
Longtime Cubs third baseman and all-around goofy uncle [Ron Santo did.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=27wTqGucZK0) ---
**Author:** ![Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a587f6/32.png) [@Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freddy_the_Pig)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2013, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-click-their-heels-when-theyre-extremely-happy/660350/16 "2013-06-10T18:33:41Z")
> [@Gundy](#): > > Longtime Cubs third baseman and all-around goofy uncle [Ron Santo did.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=27wTqGucZK0) Which, since I’m a White Sox fan, is why I will never, ever do it. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2013, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-click-their-heels-when-theyre-extremely-happy/660350/17 "2013-06-10T20:24:08Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > I only click my heels when I’m giving the Nazi salute. And that doesn’t make you happy? ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2013, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-click-their-heels-when-theyre-extremely-happy/660350/18 "2013-06-11T02:50:43Z")
> [@VinylTurnip](#): > > And that doesn’t make you happy? Jawohl, mein Herr! ---
**Author:** ![Gundy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b782af/32.png) [@Gundy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gundy)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2013, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-click-their-heels-when-theyre-extremely-happy/660350/19 "2013-06-11T17:03:19Z")
> [@Freddy\_the\_Pig](#): > > Which, since I’m a White Sox fan, is why I will never, ever do it. White Sox fandom does seem to be mostly predicated on hating the Cubs. Whatever flips your switch, I guess. ---
**Author:** ![Dendarii\_Dame](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bbce88/32.png) [@Dendarii\_Dame](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dendarii_Dame)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2013, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-click-their-heels-when-theyre-extremely-happy/660350/20 "2013-06-11T17:59:51Z")
I remember a character on _Star Trek_ in the episode “The Way to Eden” singing, “Gonna click my heels and jump for joy/Got a clean bill of health from Dr. McCoy!” He didn’t actually click his heels, though. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-click-their-heels-when-theyre-extremely-happy/660350.md?page=2)