Around New Year's, good luck symbols pop up everywhere: four-leaf clovers on cards, ladybugs on garlands and, in many European countries, little marzipan pigs. Sooner or later a kid asks, "Wait, why would a pig be lucky?" Here's the story behind the best-known lucky charms, how other countries welcome the year, and how kids can make their own.
Why Lucky Charms Go with the Start of the Year
For many people, the start of a year feels like a fresh page. You hope the months ahead will be good ones. People have wished each other luck, good health and enough to eat for a very long time, and lucky charms are small symbols of those wishes. Nobody knows if they really work – but they make people smile.
The Lucky Pig
In Germany and neighboring countries, the pig is probably the most popular good luck symbol of all. Long ago, owning a pig was a big deal for a family. If you had a pig, you had enough food. That's why the pig stands for plenty and prosperity. Germans even say "Schwein gehabt!" – literally "had a pig" – when someone got lucky.
Color the Lucky Pig, or make the soft Lucky Pig Squishy, which kids color, cut out and stuff.
The Four-Leaf Clover
Most clover leaves have three leaflets. One with four is very rare, so finding one really is a stroke of luck. People say it brings good fortune to whoever finds it.
A summer tip: go clover hunting together. Kids often spot a four-leaf clover before the grown-ups do. Until then, there's the coloring page Four-Leaf Clover.
The Horseshoe
Horses used to be essential for farm work and for getting around. Horseshoes protect their hooves, and finding one was seen as a good sign. Many people say you should hang a horseshoe with the open end up so the luck doesn't spill out. In some places, though, people hang it the other way around.
The Ladybug
Gardeners love ladybugs because they eat aphids, tiny bugs that harm plants. People say a ladybug landing on you brings good luck. One important tip for kids: let it fly away on its own instead of holding on to it.
Lots of kids think you can tell a ladybug's age by its spots. That's a myth. The number of spots depends on the kind of ladybug.
The Fly Agaric Mushroom
This red mushroom with white dots is a popular good luck symbol in Europe, especially on cards and decorations. In nature, though, it's poisonous. Make sure kids know: as a picture it's lucky, but in the woods you never touch it and never eat it.
The Chimney Sweep
Chimney sweeps clean chimneys. In the old days, almost every home was heated and cooked with wood or coal. A clean chimney meant a warm house and less danger of fire, so the sweep was always a welcome sight. People say that meeting a chimney sweep, or touching a button on their jacket, brings luck. See Chimney Sweep.
More Lucky Symbols
- Lucky penny: "Find a penny, pick it up, all day long you'll have good luck." A coin stands for the wish to have enough money in the year ahead.
- Shooting stars: People say that if you see one, you can make a silent wish.
New Year Traditions Around the World
Not everyone celebrates the same way. A few traditions kids find fascinating:
| Country | Tradition |
|---|---|
| Spain | People eat twelve grapes at midnight, one with each chime of the clock. |
| Denmark | People jump off a chair at midnight to leap into the year ahead. |
| Greece | A coin is baked into a cake, and whoever finds it is said to have good luck. |
| Japan | Temple bells are rung 108 times. |
| Scotland | The New Year celebration is called Hogmanay. |
| USA | A huge glowing ball is lowered on a skyscraper. |
In China, the New Year follows the lunar calendar, so it lands on a different day in January or February each year. In Germany, many families pour melted wax into cold water and guess what the shapes might mean. You'll find more coloring pages about traditions in New Year Around the World.
Making and Giving Lucky Charms
Homemade lucky charms make lovely gifts for grandparents, friends or a classroom. A few ideas:
- Bunting: Color the Lucky Charm Bunting with pigs, clovers and ladybugs and hang it up.
- Good luck cards: Color a page, glue it onto cardstock and add a kind wish.
- Painted rocks: Paint smooth stones with ladybugs or clovers – a pocket-size lucky charm.
- Lucky basket: Fill a small box with several mini charms and give it away.
For ideas on planning the whole evening, read New Year's Eve with Kids – Ideas for the Evening.
FAQ
Why is a pig a good luck symbol?
Long ago, a pig was very valuable. A family that owned one had enough to eat, so the pig came to stand for prosperity and good luck.
Is the fly agaric mushroom poisonous?
Yes. The real mushroom is poisonous and should never be touched or eaten. As a picture on cards or decorations, it's a popular good luck symbol.
Which way should a horseshoe hang?
Usually with the open end up. People say that keeps the luck inside. In some places it's hung the other way, so the luck pours out onto everyone below.