The wish bracelet rule is a popular tradition among groups of friends where everyone in the group gets matching bracelets and makes a wish or promise to keep while wearing it. The wish bracelet serves as a reminder of the wish and of the bond between the friends who have matching bracelets.
Origins of the Wish Bracelet Rule
The exact origins of the wish bracelet rule are unclear, but it seems to have become popular among young girls and teens in the 1990s and early 2000s. Some sources attribute the rise of wish bracelets to influences from Japanese anime and manga, where characters would often wear special bracelets or accessories imbued with power or meaning. The power of an object to hold meaning or fulfill wishes resonated with youth culture of the time.
Wish bracelets also tap into the longstanding human traditions of making wishes and signifying bonds of friendship with tokens or accessories. By combining these ideas into one bracelet, the wish bracelet rule creates a way for friends to make a promise together and remind each other of their shared goals or desires.
How the Wish Bracelet Rule Works
There are many variations on the specifics of the wish bracelet rule, but the basic premise is the same. Here is how it generally works:
- A group of friends gets matching bracelets, often string bracelets, woven bracelets, or engraved bracelets. The bracelets can be identical or have unique designs, but they should signify the group in some way.
- Each friend makes a wish, resolution, or promise to keep while wearing the bracelet. This wish is kept secret from the other friends.
- The friends all agree to wear the bracelets until they fall off naturally. This can take a few weeks to a few months.
- Once a bracelet falls off on its own, that person’s wish is said to come true.
In some versions, friends can’t re-attach or replace the bracelet once it falls off. The bracelet must fall off naturally from wear. If a bracelet breaks prematurely, that person has to disclose their wish to the group.
Types of Wishes Made for Wish Bracelets
The types of wishes made with wish bracelets are varied but they often relate to friendship in some way. Some common wish bracelet wishes include:
- Wishing to get into a certain school or college
- Wishing to get a certain job or internship
- Wishing to date someone specific
- Wishing for success at an upcoming game, competition, or performance
- Wishing to travel somewhere together
- Making a promise to stay friends no matter what
The wishes can be lighthearted or serious. The key is that the wish matters to the person making it. By keeping the wish private, it takes on more significance.
Why Follow the Wish Bracelet Rule?
There are a few key reasons the wish bracelet rule resonates with friends:
- Symbol of friendship – The matching bracelets represent the friendship between the group.
- Bonding experience – Making wishes together creates a shared experience.
- Reminder of wishes – The bracelet serves as a daily reminder of the secret wish.
- Hope and excitement – The superstition around the wish coming true when the bracelet falls off builds hope and excitement.
In essence, the wish bracelet rule allows friends to symbolically hold each other accountable for striving for their dreams while highlighting the support between friends. Having the bracelet fall off on its own prevents tampering and makes wishes feel more meaningful.
Criticisms of the Wish Bracelet Rule
While many enjoy wish bracelet traditions, some common criticisms include:
- It can promote unrealistic superstition, since wishes don’t necessarily come true just because a bracelet falls off.
- Sharing wishes can lead to disappointment if they don’t come true.
- Bracelets falling off prematurely can lead to embarrassment or social pressure.
- The strictness around not removing the bracelets can get inconvenient.
However, most participants understand to have realistic expectations. The point is the symbolism, bonding, and motivation the bracelets provide more than the superstition around wishes coming true.
Variations on the Wish Bracelet Rule
There are many variations on the traditional wish bracelet rules. Some popular alternatives include:
- Making 3 wishes on one bracelet instead of just 1 wish
- Allowing friends to intentionally remove the bracelet once the wish comes true
- Making a new wish when the previous bracelet falls off instead of ending the game
- Getting bracelets in specific wish colors, like blue for career wishes or pink for love wishes
- Using gemstone beads believed to help fulfill different wish types
- Making a group bucket list with each person assigned a bracelet goal
Friends may also put their own spin on rules, like not telling anyone your wish except the person who gave you the bracelet. The flexibility keeps the wish bracelet tradition fresh and adaptable to different groups.
Wish Bracelets in Pop Culture
Wish bracelets have made their way into films, books, and TV shows throughout the years. Some notable examples include:
- The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants books and movies – The main characters have a magical shared pair of pants that fit them all despite their size differences. This represents their unbreakable friendship. The pants are comparable to a wish bracelet linking the girls together.
- W.I.T.C.H. – This popular early 2000s comic and animated series followed a group of magical teens. They each wore a mystical pendant they could unite to increase their powers, similar to a wish bracelet.
- Tower of God – An influential Korean webtoon and anime features characters who climb a tower to have a wish granted once reaching the top. The journey up the tower is full of tests and only those deemed worthy make it to the top to have their wish fulfilled.
- The Lying Game book series – Characters have matching friendship bracelets that come with various rules and superstitions around making and breaking promises.
These examples demonstrate the strong symbolism around wish bracelets in media. Storytellers continue to integrate themes of making wishes, bonding through tokens, and symbols of friendship into their works.
Conclusion
The wish bracelet rule allows groups of friends to make wishes together while cementing their bond. Though the exact rules vary, the tradition centers around matching bracelets, secret wishes, and superstitious belief around the bracelets falling off. Participating in the wish bracelet custom creates excitement, hope, and strong friendships that last well beyond when the bracelets come off. The wish bracelet rule may seem silly from the outside, but for millions of friends over the decades, these special bracelets represent the magical power of friendship itself.
