They say that giving is the way to self-fulfillment, so why not gift your friends and family some good luck? After all, a bit of good luck for one person quickly spreads to other people, including yourself.
A Bit Of Coal
Coal has long been considered lucky. If a piece of coal washes up onto the shore, it should be given to a fisherman or sailor to protect him from drowning. On the other hand, if you find a piece of coal on the ground, you are supposed to pick it up and place it in your pocket for good luck. The lucky piece of coal can also be gifted to a friend to bring her good luck. She can either keep it in her pocket or her purse, or she can throw it over her left shoulder while making a wish. Another way to give the gift of luck plus a wish is to give someone a piece of coal on New Year’s Day. The piece of coal will bring the person good luck throughout the year. Then, on Christmas night, the coal should be thrown into a fire while a wish is made for the coming New Year.
Birthday Flowers
If it happens to be someone’s birthday, you can give them the gift of good luck. Give the birthday person a bouquet of white flowers. This will bring her or him plenty of good fortune for their birthday and for as long as the flowers stay nice.
Chicory Root
Chicory root has been used for a lot of things, from food to superstitious fortune. Chicory root can be dried, roasted, and used as a coffee substitute. It was also believed that the plant could make a person invisible, making it popular among thieves. Before a voyage, chicory root was placed in the pocket for protection and for good fortune. The root can also be tried and given as a gift to bring a person good luck and prosperous fortunes.
Money In The Pocket
If your friend is wearing a new jacket or a new pair of pants for the first time, give them the gift of good luck and good fortune. Hand them some change to place in the right pocket of the clothing so that the clothing starts its “life” off knowing what it is like to hold money. From then on, the lucky clothing will always attract money for its pockets.
Animal Ornament
In olden times, a person’s wealth was determined by how many animals he owned. As people moved away from farming, live animals were replaced with ceramic ornaments of animals. The belief was that animal ornaments were lucky, but only if they faced into a room and never faced the door. Facing into a room, the ceramic animals brought good luck. If they faced out towards a door, all luck would leave. To gift your friend luck, give them an animal ornament and have them position it inside a room so that it will always bring them good luck.
Doubled Fruit
If you have grown up on a farm, you have probably seen fruit grow double, such as a deformed, doubled peach or even a doubled cherry. You can usually find these fruits at the farmer’s market, too. To bring yourself and your friend some good luck, find or buy one of these doubled fruits and share it with your friend. Not only is it lucky for you both, but it is also believed that if you each make a wish while eating it, the wishes will come true.
Birth Year Coin
Many people believe that years bearing their birth year are especially lucky coins. If you are looking for a special present for the friend who has everything, go on the hunt for a coin that bears their birth year and gift it to them. As a charm, it will bring your friend plenty of luck.
Fern Houseplant
It used to be believed that a fern kept inside the home would prevent the home from being struck by lightning and catching fire. Potted ferns are still gifted to friends and new home owners today to keep bad luck away.
Leaf Catching
You can never be too old for this method of getting some good luck. In the autumn, when the leaves start to fall from the trees, stand under the tree with your friend. Each of you should try and catch a falling leaf before it hits the ground. Keep the leaf in a safe place, such as pressed inside a book, so that it will continue to bring good fortune.
Plant Some Ivy
Get your friend’s permission before you do this. Planting ivy outside the home and training it to grow up the walls is believed to bring happiness into the home and protect those inside the home from any misfortune. It is also believed that ivy protects a person from evil spirits, making it the best outdoor plant to grow, unless your friend doesn’t want the hassle of it taking over her garden (which it will try and do).
Sources:
Thomas, Daniel Lindsey, and Lucy Blayney Thomas. Kentucky Superstitions. Princeton, N.J.: Princeton UP, 1920. Print.
Waring, P. (1978). A dictionary of omens and superstitions. London: Souvenir Press.
