It is all about luck..

Because I am currently working at a place that sells mojos (the little things that you give to other people for the new year and which should bring them good luck in the upcoming year), I have been thinking a lot about these small things (especially in the hours when there are less people coming to the shop and I have to kill some time ;)) Everyone knows mojos and probably everyone has yet received at least one in his life, but do we know what they stand for? Do we know why a chimney sweeper should bring us good luck? On the other hand, are there maybe even things that you can give to people in order to give them bad luck? Let’s look a little closer at all these aspects..

In fact, there is a wide range of luck symbols and each of them actually has a specific meaning. Luck can be symbolised by many different things, for example it can be symbolised by objects, numbers, symbols, plants or animal life. What is more, mojos vary in different cultures all over the world and they are rooted either in folklore, mythology, esothericism, religion, tradition or necessity. Today, I am going to look a little closer to some mojos tipically in Austria..

Four-Leaf Clover

This mojo is probably the most common one in Austria. Because that form of clover is very rare in nature and is therefore very hard to find, someone needs in fact a lot of luck to discover one. When finding a four-leaf clover, it is very important that the clover was found by chance and that the clover was not cultured, because this, in fact, should bring you bad luck.

Ladybird Beetle

The ladybird beetle is a messenger from Heaven of the Mother of God. If a ladybird beetle flies towards children, it is said that it protects them, and if it flies towards ill people, it is said that it heals them.

Fly Agaric

The meaning of the fly agaric as a symbol of luck is not clear. However, it is believed that it is that popular as a symbol of luck because of its extravagant look and it has been long associated with magic because of its activating effect on our psyche.

Horse Shoe

The Horse Shoe has become very popular in our region. The horse itself stands for strength and force as well as it is seen as a very noble and precious animal and for this reason the horse shoe, which protects the horse, has also become a symbol of luck.

Chimney Sweeper

In the past, it was catastrophic for a household if the chimney was blocked or not properly cleaned, because then it was not possible to cook food and it got very cold in the house. In this case, it was a real fortune if this problem was finally solved by the chimney sweeper :)

So, this is a little description of just the most common symbols of luck in Austria, but there is a whole lot more, even many new, modern ones, like, for example, little elephants from Bangladesh that are made of stone. But I have to admit that, when selling mojos, I have recognized that it is the classy, typical mojo people are mostly looking for and that many people also tend to buy mojos that are combined with something that can actually be used, for example a little fly agaric with a candle on it.

Altogether, it can be said that people still like to give mojos to their loved ones, even if they don't know the exact meaning of all of them. However, the descriptions above maybe help to decide which mojo you want to pick for the new year :)