"Good luck charm A good luck charm is a charm that is believed to bring good luck. Almost any object can be used as a charm. Coins and buttons are examples, as are small objects given as gifts, due to the favorable associations they make. Many souvenir shops have a range of tiny items that may be used as good luck charms. Good luck charms are usually worn on the body although there are exceptions.<ref name=""charms/""></ref> The “lucky rabbit charm” was passed on and incorporated into American culture by African slaves that were brought to the Americas. The lucky bag"
"Rabbit's foot In some cultures, the foot of a rabbit is carried as an amulet believed to bring good luck. This belief is held by individuals in a great number of places around the world, including Europe, China, Africa, and North and South America. This belief likely has existed in Europe since 600 BC among Celtic people. In variations of this superstition, the donor rabbit must possess certain attributes, have been killed in a particular place, killed by a particular method, or by a person possessing particular attributes (e.g., by a cross-eyed man). The belief in North American folklore may"
"popular cartoon character. A rabbit's foot may be carried as an amulet, believed to bring protection and good luck. This belief is found in many parts of the world, with the earliest use being recorded in Europe c. 600 BC. On the Isle of Portland in Dorset, UK, the rabbit is said to be unlucky and even speaking the creature's name can cause upset among older island residents. This is thought to date back to early times in the local quarrying industry where (to save space) extracted stones that were not fit for sale were set side in what became"
"once popular in minstrel shows; one line goes: ""And you've got a rabbit's foot To keep away de hoo-doo"". Humorist R. E. Shay is credited with the witticism, ""Depend on the rabbit's foot if you will, but remember it didn't work for the rabbit."" Rabbit's foot In some cultures, the foot of a rabbit is carried as an amulet believed to bring good luck. This belief is held by individuals in a great number of places around the world, including Europe, China, Africa, and North and South America. This belief likely has existed in Europe since 600 BC among Celtic"
"(such as on large decorative shogi piece sculptures, keychains, and other keepsakes) available for sale in Tendō. It is also serves as a symbol of good luck. (Cf. Rabbit's foot.) There are multiple theories on its origin. One is that ""uma"" (うま ) spelled in the Japanese syllabary backwards is まう ""mau"" (舞う), which means ""(to) dance"" and dancing horses are a good luck omen. In the manga series ""Naruto"", shogi plays an essential part in Shikamaru Nara's character development. He often plays it with his sensei, Asuma Sarutobi, apparently always beating him. When Asuma is fatally injured in battle,"
"a common thread of suggestion that the true lucky rabbit's foot is actually cut from a shapeshifted witch. The suggestion that the rabbit's foot is a substitute for a part from a witch's body is corroborated by other folklore from hoodoo. Willie Dixon's song ""Hoochie Coochie Man"" mentions a ""black cat bone"" along with his mojo and his John the Conqueror: all are artifacts in hoodoo magic. Given the traditional association between black cats and witchcraft, a black cat bone is also potentially a substitute for a human bone from a witch. Hoodoo lore also uses graveyard dust, soil from"
"Jin Chan The Jin Chan (), also called Chan Chu () or ""Zhaocai Chan Chu"" (), is most commonly translated as ""Money Toad"" or ""Money Frog"". It represents a popular Feng Shui charm for prosperity. This mythical creature is said to appear during the full moon, near houses or businesses that will soon receive good news (most of the time, the nature of this good news is understood to be wealth-related). The money toad is associated with Liu Haichan, as the sennin's animal companion. The ""Jin Chan"" is usually depicted as a bullfrog with red eyes, flared nostrils and only"
"Lucky stone A lucky stone is actually the unique ear bone or otolith of a freshwater drum (""Aplodinotus grunniens""), also known as the sheephead fish. The fish's otoliths are quite large and look almost polished and ivory-like. In times past they have been worn as protective amulets, made into jewelry, and traded into areas far from the fish's native range (such as Utah and California). Lucky stones (otoliths) have been found at ancient archaeological sites, where they are thought to have been used as good luck charms to ward off illness. Lucky stones wash up on beaches along the Great"
"you say it again in the morning, before you’ve said another word, your wish comes true.” Trixie laughed."" In the United States the tradition appears especially well known in northern New England although, like all folklore, determining its exact area of distribution is difficult. The superstition may be related to the broader belief in the rabbit or hare being a ""lucky"" animal, as exhibited in the practice of carrying a rabbit's foot for luck. During the mid-1990s, U.S. children's cable channel Nickelodeon helped popularize the superstition in the United States as part of its ""Nick Days,"" where during commercial breaks"
"to be first-footing. It is said to be desirable for the first-foot to be a tall, dark-haired male; a female or fair-haired male are in some places regarded as unlucky. In Worcestershire, luck is ensured by stopping the first carol singer who appears and leading him through the house [ref]. In Yorkshire, it must always be a male who enters the house first, but his fairness is no objection. The first-foot usually brings several gifts, including perhaps a coin (silver is considered good luck), bread, salt, coal, evergreen, and/or a drink (usually whisky), which represent financial prosperity, food, flavour, warmth,"
"chain for good luck. Djucu A Djucu (pronounced joo-ko) is a brown and black nut that comes from the sea. On the Dutch island of Curaçao, it is considered a ""lucky stone"" that washes up on the shores of Curaçao and Venezuela. These ""stones"" get very warm when rubbed. They are said to bring luck and wellness and are common good luck charms in gambling. The Djucu is very popular in Aruba where it is used to make jewellery and is considered essential when gambling in many of Aruba's casinos. In Aruba, many people have their Djucus set in gold"
"cute pets. Cats could be pampered with items bought from the market such as ""cat-nests"", and were often fed fish that were advertised in the market specifically for cats. The Maneki Neko of Japan is a figurine often believed to bring good luck to the owner. Literally the ""beckoning cat"", it is often referred to in English as the ""good fortune"" or ""good luck"" cat. It is usually a sitting cat with paw raised and bent. Legend in Japan has it that a cat waved a paw at a Japanese landlord, who was intrigued by this gesture and went towards"
"is about to embark on a journey is considered auspicious, but a cry from any other wall is supposed to be inauspicious. A gecko falling on someone's right shoulder is considered good omen, but a bad omen if it drops on the left shoulder. In Punjab, it is believed that contact with the urine of a gecko will cause leprosy. In some places in India, it is believed that watching a lizard on the eve of Dhanteras is a good omen or a sign of prosperity. Common house gecko The common house gecko (""Hemidactylus frenatus"") (not to be confused with"
"be touched. In all traditions, luck is ""contained"" in the shoe and can ""pour out"" through the ends. In some traditions, any good or bad luck achieved will only occur to the ""owner"" of the horseshoe, not the person who hangs it up. Therefore, if the horseshoe was stolen, borrowed or even just found then the ""owner"", not the person who found or stole the horseshoe will get any good or bad luck. Other traditions require that the horseshoe be found to be effective. One reputed origin of the tradition of lucky horseshoes is the story of Saint Dunstan and"
"luck charms in some cultures. A four-leaf clover was consistently believed to be a lucky charm. This very old Irish verse describes why: One leaf is for fame,<br> And one leaf is for wealth,<br> And one is for a faithful lover,<br> And one to bring you glorious health, <br> Are all in the four-leaved clover. Apart from this, in many parts of the world, various objects are considered as the lucky charm, as in, God's idol to be kept on all special occasions in many parts of the continents like Asia. List of lucky symbols Good luck charm A good"
"to bring good luck, or trinkets to ward off bad luck or the evil eye. While in many cultures, a black cat is considered unlucky, British and Irish sailors considered adopting a black ""ship's cat"" because it would bring good luck. There is some logic to this belief: cats eat (or at least kill) rodents, which can damage ropes and stores of grain on board, and they are intelligent animals, a high level of care was directed toward them to keep them happy, and research has backed up this superstition. Evidence published in 2017 by a geneticist the University of"
"birth. Based on these traditions charms with inscriptions related to the twelve animals and twelve earthy branches, some ancient Chinese zodiac charms featured all twelve animals and others might also include the twelve earthly branches. It is not uncommon for zodiac charms to feature the character ""gua"" (挂) which indicates that the charm should be hung from a necklace or from the waist. Modern Fengshui charms often incorporate the same zodiac based features. Chinese numismatic ""good luck charms"" or ""auspicious charms"" are special Chinese charms inscribed with various Chinese characters representing good luck and prosperity. As the idea that lucky"
"full of maneki-neko at the Eurovision Song Contest 2018. She won the competition after collecting 529 points at the final. Maneki-neko The is a common Japanese figurine (lucky charm, talisman) which is often believed to bring good luck to the owner. In modern times, they are usually made of ceramic or plastic. The figurine depicts a cat (traditionally a calico Japanese Bobtail) beckoning with an upright paw, and is usually displayed in—often at the entrance of—shops, restaurants, pachinko parlors, and other businesses. Some of the sculptures are electric or battery-powered and have a slow-moving paw beckoning. ""Maneki-neko"" comes in different"
"Black cat bone A black cat bone is a type of lucky charm used in the African American magical tradition of hoodoo. It is thought to ensure a variety of positive effects, such as invisibility, good luck, protection from malevolent magic, rebirth after death, and romantic success. ""...Got a black cat bonegot a mojo too,I got John the Conqueror root,I'm gonna mess with you..."" The bone, anointed with Van Van oil, may be carried as a component of a mojo bag; alternatively, without the coating of oil, it is held in the charm-user's mouth. The black cat has been a"
"goal is accomplished, the recipient paints the other eye. While this is a Buddhist practice, darumas can be found at shrines, as well. These dolls are very common. Other protective items include ""dorei"", which are earthenware bells that are used to pray for good fortune. These bells are usually in the shapes of the zodiacal animals: ""hamaya"", which are symbolic arrows for the fight against evil and bad luck; and ""Inuhariko"", which are paper dogs that are used to induce and to bless good births. ""Kagura"" is the ancient Shinto ritual dance of shamanic origin. The word ""kagura"" is thought"
"this?"" asks the swan, before carrying him, suitably humbled, back to safety. Written records of the fable do not appear in Europe after Archilochus until Medieval times. Here the boastful animal is generally the fox, but the animal with the one trick may be the hedgehog (Greece), the crane (Russia), the squirrel (Armenia), or the cock or dove. In western Europe, it is always the cat, appearing in very similar versions, though with variation in the number of tricks the fox possesses. Some of the collections we find the fable in are the Anglo-Latin Romulus (80 tricks), in Marie de"
"pass through walls or roofs at night. The charm is said to be used by burglars and those seeking to visit young girls without their parents' permission. Also, some tribes, such as the Margbetu, Ayanda, and Logo, will use aardvark teeth to make bracelets, which are regarded as good luck charms. The meat, which has a resemblance to pork, is eaten in certain cultures. The Egyptian god Set is usually depicted with the head of an unidentified animal, whose similarity to an aardvark has been noted in scholarship. The titular character of ""Arthur"", an animated television series for children based"
"The rat (sometimes referred to as a mouse) is the first of the twelve animals of the Chinese zodiac. People born in this year are expected to possess qualities associated with rats, including creativity, intelligence, honesty, generosity, ambition, a quick temper and wastefulness. People born in a year of the rat are said to get along well with ""monkeys"" and ""dragons"", and to get along poorly with ""horses"". In Indian tradition, rats are seen as the vehicle of Ganesha, and a rat's statue is always found in a temple of Ganesh. In the northwestern Indian city of Deshnoke, the rats"
"Maneki-neko The is a common Japanese figurine (lucky charm, talisman) which is often believed to bring good luck to the owner. In modern times, they are usually made of ceramic or plastic. The figurine depicts a cat (traditionally a calico Japanese Bobtail) beckoning with an upright paw, and is usually displayed in—often at the entrance of—shops, restaurants, pachinko parlors, and other businesses. Some of the sculptures are electric or battery-powered and have a slow-moving paw beckoning. ""Maneki-neko"" comes in different colors, styles and degrees of ornateness. Common colors are white, black, gold and sometimes red. In addition to ceramic figurines,"
"belief was that cats could start storms through magic stored in their tails. If a ship's cat fell or was thrown overboard, it was thought that it would summon a terrible storm to sink the ship and that if the ship was able to survive, it would be cursed with nine years of bad luck. Other beliefs included: if a cat licked its fur against the grain, it meant a hailstorm was coming; if it sneezed it meant rain; and if it was frisky it meant wind. Cormorants, in some Scandinavian areas, are considered a good omen; in particular, in"
"monkeys are said to be good luck charms, and as a result, people offer sock monkeys as gifts. Sock monkeys have been given to patients in hospitals as a symbol of a quick recovery. They have been given to employees to relieve stress and sock monkeys have even been sent to soldiers overseas to relieve homesickness. In February 2015, Jody Lewis of Bridgwater, Somerset UK, made the official Guinness world record for largest sock monkey made from individual socks. The sock monkey stands at 10 feet 5.59 inches. The city of Rockford, Illinois embraces the doll as part of its"
"cats are considered to bring good luck, said to bring money and good fortune to all who cross their path. Some even claim that it was the cats who kept the majority of the island from being destroyed during the Tohoku earthquake and tsunami in 2011. There is a small cat shrine, known as , in the middle of the island, roughly situated between the two villages. In the past, the islanders raised silkworms for silk, and cats were kept in order to keep the mouse population down (because mice are a natural predator of silkworms). Fixed-net fishing was popular"
"Salisbury Hare The Salisbury Hare is an English folk legend originating from the county of Wiltshire. The legend tells of a hare that dances during a full moon, and that anyone who sees the hare is said to have good fortune for the rest of his or her days. The Salisbury Hare folk legend is believed to have originated in pagan Anglo-Saxon England. Some sources contend that the legend dates from Celtic times, as the hare is linked to the goddess Ceridwen.<br> The first known recorded mention of the Hare is from 1318 AD, when its appearance to John Godwin,"
"conversely held to be unlucky in the United Kingdom, while tortoiseshell cats are lucky. It is common lore that cats have nine lives. It is a tribute to their perceived durability, their occasional apparent lack of instinct for self-preservation, and their seeming ability to survive falls that would be fatal to other animals. Cats were seen as good luck charms by actors, and the cats often helped cure the actors' stage fright. Domestic cats were probably first introduced to Greece and southern Italy in the fifth century BC by the Phoenicians. The earliest unmistakable evidence of the Greeks having domestic"
"Peacocks displayed in pairs on open-work charms symbolise an affectionate couple that fly side-by-side in love with each other. An example of an open-work charm depicting a Chinese immortal and several animals believed to bring ""good luck"" is one that contains the immortal associated with longevity Xiwangmu holding a Ruyi sceptre standing besides a deer and a tortoise, both of these are associated with longevity as well with the deer having an extra association with wealth and attaining a high rank because the Mandarin Chinese word for ""deer"" (鹿, ""lù"") sounds like the Mandarin Chinese term for ""the salary of"
"the cat is a symbol of good fortune. In Norse mythology, Freyja, the goddess of love, beauty, and fertility, is depicted as riding a chariot drawn by cats. In Jewish legend, the first cat was living in the house of the first man Adam as a pet that got rid of mice. The cat was once partnering with the first dog before the latter broke an oath they had made which resulted in enmity between the descendants of these two animals. It is also written that neither cats nor foxes are represented in the water, while every other animal has"
"""Break a leg!"" is considered good luck. Also described as an old wives' tale, the superstition may date back to medieval times. Some sources ascribe the origin to the fact that criminals were hanged while still wearing their shoes. It may have something to do with death, and the idea of placing a new pair of shoes on the table would signify that someone had just died, or you would have bad luck for the rest of the day, quarrel with someone or lose your job. Even among people who are not superstitious, shoes can be associated with contamination. Power"
"unusual appearance of this egg-laying, duck-billed, beaver-tailed, otter-footed mammal baffled European naturalists when they first encountered it, with some considering it an elaborate hoax. It is one of the few species of venomous mammals: the male platypus has a spur on the hind foot that delivers a venom capable of causing severe pain to humans. The unique features of the platypus make it an important subject in the study of evolutionary biology and a recognizable and iconic symbol of Australia; it has appeared as a mascot at national events and features on the reverse of the Australian twenty-cent coin. The"