Good Luck Gifts as Christmas presents

An Indalo charm - something unusual that can say "Good luck this Christmas"


Christmas is a time of great tradition as well as a time to celebrate the Christian faith - and gifts are bought and exchanged to pass on our love and good wishes to friends and family. In days gone by before Christianity, at the winter solstice (23rd December) it was traditional for a man to dress up and cover himself in Holly. A woman was similarly dressed-up in Ivy (the female counterpart of Holly). Together they would parade through the streets hand in hand - and thus leading the old year into the new one. This symbolic interaction of god and goddess during a time whan nature was in winter (in the northern hemisphere, in any case) was intended to guide the new light of the Sun God and encourage fresh growth and renewed life as the community (and nature itself) moved into the new year. Today this 'Holly King' has been stylised by the figure of Father Christmas or Santa Claus - one of many of the folklore traditions of this time of year.   


Do you know someone who could benefit from some good luck wishes at Christmas?

Stockings used to be hung by the chimney and, out of compassion, Santa or St. Nicholas would toss three coins down the chimney - each falling neatly into stockings left drying by the fireside. And so, to this day, we leave our stockings out in the hope that a similar bit of good fortune will befall us. The door of the house would be left open at midnight to allow any evil spirits to leave and a candle would be placed in a window to burn all night thus ensuring good luck for the household for another year. A Yule Log, which is closely associated with the winter solstice, which was cut on Candlemas (February 2nd) and dried all year, was lit to scare off winter demons. It's origins date back to the Druids and it's ashes are considered very good luck.  

Christianity has adapted many of these old traditions in many ways. For example, the door to the house is now meant to be left unlatched so that any wandering travelers who are also celebrating Christmas (and particularly, Mary and Joseph, the parents of baby Jesus) can avail themselves of a welcome. A loaf of bread filled with caraway seeds and raisins is often left on the table with a pitcher of milk and the lit candle. Mistletoe which, in the Celtic language, means "all heal", was believed to have all sorts of miraculous qualities including the power of healing diseases, banning evil spirits, bringing good luck and bestowing great blessings. It is still used at Christmas to this day to bring good luck and bestow blessings onto those who kiss beneath it.  

The Indalo shape (whether it be classical like Leonardo da Vinci's Vitruvian Man, or spiritual as in the Rainbow Warrior of the ancient North American Indian Cree tribe), is a popular symbol (like the clover leaf, horseshoe, or scarab) used to pass on good luck sentiments to friends and family.