How To Make A Wish Come True In 30 Seconds

SOCIAL STUDIES — Family

Have You Ever Wondered...

Can you make a wish come true?
Why do people make wishes in various situations?
What do you wish for?

Today's Wonder of the Day was inspired by Luci from Mokena, IL. Luci Wonders, "Can you make a wish come true?" Thanks for WONDERing with us, Luci!

What do birthday candles, shooting stars, and eyelashes all have in common? If you've ever blown out a birthday candle, seen a shooting star, or found a stray eyelash, then you've probably done one other thing almost immediately: made a wish.

Wishes are something that we all have and we all make. If it's raining, we wish it were sunny. If we're served broccoli for dinner, some of us might wish it were pizza instead. If we have $50 saved up and that brand-new game we want is $60, then we probably wish it would go on sale or that we had an extra $10.

While our wishes are often small and practical, they can also be big and fantastical. Have you ever wished you won the lottery? How about wishing for a new car? Some people wish they were famous or had superhuman powers.

Wishes can also be very personal and important to the innermost parts of who we are. Have you ever wished that your one true love would come your way? If you find yourself fighting a life-threatening illness, your greatest wish may be for your health to be restored.

Just how did we start making wishes on birthday candles, shooting stars, and eyelashes, though? These are just a few of the superstitions that exist related to making wishes. Let's take a closer look at how a few of these got their start.

Some historians believe we can thank the ancient Greeks for making wishes as we blow out birthday candles. Their belief that smoke from the candles carried prayers to the gods may have been the origin of making wishes when we blow out the candles on our birthday cakes.

Likewise, ancient writer and astronomer Ptolemy believed that shooting stars occurred when the gods were looking down upon us from above. Wishing upon a shooting star was the best way to make sure the gods heard your wish while they were paying attention.

Wishing on eyelashes has been traced back to mid-19^th-century folklore in Shropshire, England. Another piece of ancient folklore — from Ireland — holds that catching the mythical leprechaun will lead to him granting you three wishes.

Those aren't the only superstitions related to making wishes. You'll also find people making wishes on dandelions, wishbones, ladybugs, times of the day (such as 11:11), wishing wells, and even the first star they see at night (thanks to the late-19^th-century nursery rhyme).

Do wishes ever come true? Of course, they do! However, whether a wish comes true or not doesn't have anything to do with birthday candles, shooting stars, or eyelashes. Sometimes it's just chance. Other fulfilled wishes might be the result of simple hard work. Still other wishes might come to fruition as a result of kind-hearted people.

The Make-a-Wish Foundation of America, for example, grants thousands of wishes each year to children who are battling life-threatening illnesses. Their work, thanks to thousands of volunteers, has helped to make wishes come true for children who are otherwise facing some of the darkest days of their lives. More than just bringing momentary happiness, however, fulfilled wishes have often given children the strength they need to continue fighting their illnesses.

You don't need to be part of a large organization to make someone's wish come true, though. All you need is a willingness to help others around you. If you become aware of someone's wish and realize it's within your power to make it a reality, go for it! Making someone else's wish come true can change your own life in the process!

Wonder What's Next?

If you're coming to Wonderopolis tomorrow, be sure to bring your sombrero and dancing shoes!

Try It Out

Are you ready to make some wishes come true? Ask a friend or family member to help you check out the following activities:

You wake up in the night with a powerful thirst. As you make your way to the kitchen for a drink of water, you glance at the microwave clock and notice that it's 11:11pm. Quick! Make a wish! What would you wish for? Think about all the things you'd love to have or do one day and make a list of your top ten wishes you'd make if you thought they could come true. Share your list with a friend or family member. You never know when someone might decide to make one of your wishes come true!
Some wishes come true with hard work and determination. Think about a wish that you can make come true, if you put your mind to it. Perhaps your wish is to ace your next test or achieve a personal best record for fastest running. Think about what you can do each day towards making your wish come true and make an action plan that starts today. Have fun making your wish come true!
Instead of thinking about what YOU are wishing for, take some time today to focus on what you think your friends and family members might be wishing for. Are there any wishes of theirs that you could make come true? You might be surprised. Sometimes wishes are as simple as wishing the laundry would fold itself or that dinner is already made. Helping with household chores is a great way for you to make someone's practical wishes come true! Of course, simply spending time with loved ones and letting them know how much you care about them might also be a wish come true. Do what you can to make someone else's wish come true today!

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Wonder Contributors

We'd like to thank:

Lawson, Hannah, Felicity, Jimmy and Ian from ME
for contributing questions about today's Wonder topic!

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Question 1 of 3

Leprechauns who grant three wishes if you catch them are mythological creatures that trace their roots back to the folklore of which country?

a Ireland Correct!
b Iran Not Quite!
c Russia Not Quite!
d Ecuador Not Quite!

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