With each new year come new hopes and dreams for a promising future. Each culture has different good luck symbols that stand for wealth, good health, prosperity and even adore. All 20 of these items signify good fortune in certain culture, and each one would make a fantastic New Year’s present for your friends and family that want to start off 2012 right. Even in the event that you don’t believe in luck, each piece is entertaining and cheerful — quite the lucky finds! — Lauren from Lauren Elise Crafted
Cox & Cox
Star Candle Holder – GBP 26
A nautical star symbolizes the North Star and can be seen as a guiding light. This star is an outdoor lantern that could be hung on your porch to be a symbol of the importance of home and finding your way back to loved ones.
Etsy
Pressed Flowers, Red Clover at Frame by Frequent House – $15
As a little girl, I remember hunting through fields of clover to try and find one of the four-leaf variety. This Irish allure always amazes me as a young child, but now that I’m an adult, this pressed clover print appears like the lucky find indeed.
There’s something nostalgic about pressed flowers; it is like a reminder of a simpler time, but this art still feels very modern. It would look great at a fresh, white space.
Etsy
Faux Wishbones, Green by Something’s Hiding in This – $12
Breaking wishbones isn’t just for Thanksgiving anymore. With all these plastic ones, you can earn a desire anytime you want.
Terrain
Antique Grape Lug – $28
The New Year’s tradition of eating 12 grapes on the 12 strokes of midnight is one that awakens from Spain. The blossoms should bring prosperity for the year ahead.
This antique grape lug was a necessity for farmers during the harvest season, but you can now use it for storage, organization or planting plants. It will hold a lot of grapes as well, which means it’s possible to keep a few on hand whenever need a little extra luck.
Etsy
Circa 1950s Wooden Ladder by Go Seek – $80
The ancient Egyptians considered ladders to be lucky, a means to allow them to climb into the heavens in the afterlife. This mid-century would make a fantastic display piece, along with the measures can double as shelves for books and collectibles. It may not be required to scale heavenward, but it would have great presence in a living room or bedroom.
Smiling Planet
Ladybugs Bowl – $13.95
It might be uncommon to have ladybugs land on you, giving you their great fortune, but it’s likely to have them land on your cereal bowl every morning. This whimsical child’s bowl, which isn’t necessarily earmarked for kids, has an illustration of the little bugs at the bottom. Following your last few bites of Cheerios, they will show themselves and send you on your way feeling quite lucky.
Terrain
Acorn Windchime – $32
The acorn and the oak tree are seen as lucky symbols in Norse folklore. People of this culture will traditionally put an acorn on their windowsills to secure their houses from lightning. This acorn wind chime would be a wonderful substitute to hang on your porch or patio. It may not ward off lightning, but it will still sound lovely as it blows in the wind.
Etsy
Hand Printed Soft Brown Oak Tree Cushion by HELKATDESIGN – $58
A lucky oak shrub is hand-printed on cotton linen in this beautiful cushion design. I really like the rustic fabrics and colours, and that I could envision that this pillow placed on outdoor furniture for a few excess comfort or on a white sofa for a pop of color.
Etsy
Skeleton Key Pillows by Sugar and Fig – $30
Keys have been seen as important symbols in ancient Greek, Japanese and Roman cultures, as they were significant in matters of the heart, of health and of wealth. I would like to think these skeleton key cushions would give you amazing dreams, as well as spruce up your bed with a few shabby-chic flair.
Plasticland
Skeleton Key Bottle Opener – $32
A secret may be lucky, but what about a secret that doubles as a corkscrew? I think that’s extra good fortune! Gift this corkscrew to your favorite wine connoisseur, and he or she will have luck all year long with their vintages.
Etsy
Brooklyn Cutting Board by A. Heirloom – $40
A present of bamboo is very good luck, and the recipient of this handmade bamboo cutting board would be quite fortunate indeed.
This is the ideal hostess gift because it can be personalized to the state of your choice, and a little heart could be engraved on your favorite town. It is quite original and a total conversation piece.
Smallable
Elephant Bowl – EUR 12
Elephants are great luck symbols, and they signify longevity and wisdom. Even this mini elephant will do the trick and be such a sweet addition at snack time. And since this little bowl is made out of recycled materials, it’s lucky for the entire world too.
Merchant No. 4
Lovi Egg – $16.50
In England it’s tradition that both white and brown eggs bring luck and happiness. Gifting a true egg could get tricky, but this birch egg ornament comes apartment and packaged like a postcard. Its bits are a breeze to build, and after together, it could hang and deliver prosperity all through the year.
Merchant No. 4
Egg Cup – $13
If you’re going to consume some eggs this New Year’s, these egg cups are a beautiful way to display them. They’re made from Acacia wood with environmentally friendly techniques. The wood grain texture is really abundant, and the design is perfectly simple.
West Elm
Ceramic Candles Speaker – $49
Chinese and European cultures see the pig as great luck and frequently portray them on charms or tokens. This ceramic white pig is really a speaker that connects with your MP3 player. It can pull on double-duty as a cute sculpture too, while still being discreet about its speaker capabilities.
Lucy Jade Sylvester
Acorn Charm Pendant – GBP 85
This gold acorn can be worn on a charm necklace or perhaps put on an integral ring so that the good fortune it brings can go wherever you do.
Etsy
Elephant Coat Rack/Wall Hook/Cast Iron by The Shabby Shak – $28
This elephant wall hook may be double the luck, but it does triple the job with three hooks. The material is cast iron, but I really like the weathered paint. It seems like a fantastic flea market find but with of the time spent hunting for this.
Smallable
Royal Garland, 35 balls – EUR 35
In the Chinese culture, red lanterns are a good luck symbol. This series of luminous, woven cotton orbs is not quite your traditional lantern, however, the effect may be just as magical. I believe that nothing cheers a space more than recessed lighting, and with the plethora of colours to choose from, these garlands are quite the lucky find.
Next Modern Home
Decoy Lab Modern Animal Clock Elephant – $68
This is just another lucky yet highly functional elephant, now in the kind of a timber clock. The design is laser cut from bamboo, therefore this present would bring extra wealth into your house. This clock is enjoyable and modern, perfect for kids of design-conscious parents.
Carol Ridler Hand Crafted Wood
Wood Pig – GBP 16.95
This sweet piggy is made from reclaimed wood and handmade in England. The jute twine strand and tail add the perfect touch of feel. Perch him on a shelf amid a few antique treasures to spread luck and cheer to those who see him.
Next: 2012, the Year of the Dragon