12 Good Luck Gifts & the Meaning Behind Them

This necklace pendant has a rose gold overlay on top of a sterling silver hand-stamped hamsa with the words "Protection," "Power," "Prosperity," "Love," "Abundance," "Peace," "Happiness," "Health," "Strength," and "Luck." The hamsa is found in Jewish and Muslim cultures in the Middle East, and the word "hamsa" translates to "five" in both Hebrew and Arabic. The eye in the hand-shaped symbol is supposed to ward off the evil eye; thus, the hamsa is worn as protection from evil spirits.

Catching a glimpse of a rainbow certainly feels special, and it is — you have to be just in the right place to spot one of them. (Rainbows are actually optical illusions, but we don't need to get into the science of that here. That's what sites like Popular Science are for.) Then there's the matter of the legendary pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. If you're on the hunt for that, you're out of luck because, as luck would have it, rainbows have no end. They are a full circle — you just can’t see the other half because the horizon gets in the way.

Rainbows, nonetheless, are associated with healing, hope, and peace, and this beautiful charm is the perfect reminder of those signs.

Many legends persist about how horseshoes became a lucky symbol, but the most ubiquitous is that of a patron saint of Ireland, a blacksmith. The devil demanded the blacksmith make him shoes, but the blacksmith wasn't tricked and instead nailed a burning hot shoe to the devil’s cloven hoof, prompting the god of the underworld to declare he would never go near a horseshoe again. Warding off the devil seems like a good thing.

In numerology, 11:11 is considered an angel number, one that is either a palindrome or follows a pattern. The number 1, specifically, can represent new beginnings. The superstitious feel that the luckiest day of the year is 11/11 with their wishes coming at — you guessed it — 11:11.

While the three-leaf clover was associated with another patron saint of Ireland, St. Patrick, and his work spreading the word of Christianity there, the four-leaf clover is in short supply. Legend says that Eve took a four-leaf clover from the Garden of Eden to remind her of paradise (sounds lovely). And the English say if you dream of clover, you will have a happy marriage (also sounds lovely). Each of the four leaves, according to a European poem, has its own meaning: faithful love, fame, health, and wealth.

Finding a four-leafed variety is unlikely, as it only appears 1 in 10,000 times. Therefore, wishful thinking would follow that if you’re lucky enough to find a four-leaf clover…then, well, you’ll be lucky enough for anything prosperous. And that sounds very lovely!

In ancient Etruria (central Italy), chickens were considered the oracles of the future, and, thus, Etruscans stroked the wishbones of these birds for good luck. But chickens at the time were also scarce, so people broke the bones in half to spread the wealth of luck. The tradition was passed from the Romans to the British and, ultimately, to the Pilgrims, who found turkeys — and, by extension, wishbones — in abundance in the new world.

This piece of jewelry, finished in polished Rafaelian silver, is steeped in meaning. Not only gorgeous but symbolic, it features the sun and moon, which represent the yin and yang, the ultimate sign of balance. These two celestial bodies coexist peacefully together, and each needs the other to realize its full potential. When the two are aligned, Chinese Taoism says, a harmonious balance is achieved, and all is possible.

The money tree is associated with good fortune and is a common gift for the Chinese New Year. The story goes that a man found the tree and took it home, and grew many more trees from it, giving him financial prosperity (gives new meaning to having a "green" thumb!). The specially trained trunks are known to keep luck within their braids. According to the rules of feng shui, the money tree should be kept in the southeast corner of the home, where it thrives in an abundance of indirect light.

Most Americans know St. Patrick, whose feast day celebrated here is largely associated with rainbows, leprechauns, and pots of gold. Though his life was filled with suffering, St. Patrick spread Christianity throughout Ireland, explaining its Holy Trinity meaning through a shamrock — the three-leafed plant that now represents St. Patrick’s Day to many in the U.S. and around the world.

This flowering gift includes a resin shamrock with the saying “For each petal on the shamrock this brings a wish your way. Good health, good luck and happiness for today and every day.”

A harbinger of long life and lasting presence, the turtle has been around since before the dinosaurs. In a Hindu depiction, the turtle holds four elephants who, in turn, hold up the earth, signifying the weight of the world. And in Native American cultures, the turtle represents healing, wisdom, spirituality, heath, safety, longevity, protection, and fertility.

This statue can live inside or outside, but we picture this little guy greeting guests at your entryway. He has certain good vibes, as all turtles seem to (remember Crush from "Finding Nemo"?).

Symbols of peace and power, strength and knowledge, a hand-carved elephant made of soapstone will be a reminder to you that all things are possible with patience and learning. This African treasure will be right at home on your desk, as elephants represent wisdom and prosperity.

Beautiful and sleek, yet easy to take care of, bamboo is highly prized in Chinese culture and feng shui. This lucky bamboo has three stalks braided into two, with each stalk representing happiness, longevity, and wealth. A beautiful gift for someone starting a new job or new life together, lucky bamboo will bring positive energy.