Have faith to live healthier, longer and better?

Christian shell symbol gives faith in health

30 gifts for people who want to live healthier – based on Christian beliefs for health protection and healing

Health protection gifts are big business at the moment because of the global health crisis. So, can good health be enhanced simply by having more faith in one’s beliefs? SEE our SHOP for Christian health gifts, Christian symbols for healing, and Christian symbols for health and wellbeing . . all based on various talismans and amulets for healing and protection . . as well as charms to wish good luck with respect to the role that luck might play in good health.

Is good health just a matter of good health practices?

Or: Is good health a matter of faith too? And: What part does good fortune play in all of this?

In other words, is good health a matter of good health practices, AND faith, with a measure of good luck thrown in too?

Christian health gifts?

The power of the mind to influence the body is well-known and, in particular, many Christians believe that God can heal sick people through the power of the Holy Spirit: (This is also sometimes called supernatural healing, divine healing, or miracle healing, among other things.) But, in all cases, an element of Faith is involved.

Christian symbol for healing health and wellbeing

NCBI, the National Centre for Biotechnology Information (which advances health by providing access to medical information online), notes that: Faith healing is a method of treating illnesses through the exercise of faith rather than (or, in addition to) medical methods.

Strong scientific evidence suggests that individuals who regularly participate in spiritual worship (or related activities) and who feel strongly that spirituality (or the presence of a higher being such as God) are sources of strength and comfort are, in general, healthier people: They possess greater healing capabilities than those who don’t believe in such things. NCBI goes on to say that it is critical that physicians and health care providers listen to all aspects of their patients’ lives because it can affect the decision-making process.

Christian symbols for health?

Religious convictions may affect not only health care, but healthcare decision-making too, and NCBI concludes that spirituality may be important in patient health and coping. An example of this is prayer, which many believe can improve health outcomes. In fact, more than three quarters of Americans believe that prayer can help to heal people. In a survey, a similar number of doctors said that they too believed in miraculous healings.

Christian symbols for healing?

So, how exactly do we use this information to help achieve better health protection . . especially in this topsy-turvy world of the 21st Century with its global pandemics and the like? And what role does luck or mere chance play in health?

When someone becomes ill they start to look around for reasons as to why this misfortune has occurred. Some may feel that their Gods are against them; others may think that it is simply bad luck – and that fate has dealt them a bad blow.

Has bad luck really played a part in their misfortune?

Christian symbols of protection?

Nobody knows for sure, but there are many who feel that a religious or lucky charm of some description could help them avoid the bad things in life . . whether that be in health matters, financial circumstances, their love life, success, or indeed in life in general, and many so-called lucky charms are based on symbols of protection (particularly those from Asia and the Far East), or on religious beliefs such as in the Christian faith.

If the truth be known, it is probably both faith AND luck that are relevant.

Guardian angel ceramic luck token — A Guardian Angel to watch over those who are dear to you, with the added benefit of passing on your good luck wishes

Jewellery with meaning:

We have curated a selection of gifts in our SHOP that might be suitable as a gift for health protection, particularly for people with spiritual beliefs (and especially those of the Christian faith) and some others from the point of view of Good Luck (since good luck can sometimes play a role in the sphere of health too:

Camino shell bead on cork — Camino de Santiago bracelet – scallop shell bead on cork

Gifts for health protection?

Angels are thought to be spiritual beings who interact with people on earth at God’s direction. The word “Angel” comes from the Greek ‘Angelos’ meaning “messenger.” They are said to watch over us and protect us from harm.

Guardian Angel charm necklace — Angel charm necklace – little guardian angel, with scallop shell

Guardian Angel spiritual necklace ~ for protection and guidance

Do Christian beliefs bolster good health? Many believe just so

Saint Christopher bracelet — St Christopher bracelet

St James cross cufflinks to stay safe — St James cross cufflinks ~ Stay Safe and Healthy!

Cross of FAITH ring — Cross of Faith ring – gift for strength of purpose

sAfe Jewellery with Travellers Cross — Travellers Cross bracelet to keep someone safe

Christian symbols for health and wellbeing

Cross of St James necklace red — Cross of St James necklace in silver and red: A gift of faith to treasure for a lifetime, and encourage good health along life’s Camino

Christian Cross ring for faith and support — Christian Cross ring – gift for faith, encouragement and support

Protection shield cross for safekeeping — Protection shield and cross dog tag for safekeeping – a gift of faith to say “Stay Healthy”

Other Christian symbols for healing and health protection

Scallop shell jewellery is worn as a symbol of faith, and the use of the scallop shell as a means of protection (or as a protective charm) dates back to the Middle Ages: It is the traditional emblem of St. James (James the Greater (one of the Twelve Apostles) and the patron saint of Spain and Portugal). Symbolically, the scallop shell is believed to signify the rebirth of a person, their resurrection, and the overcoming of problems.

Camino scallop shell earrings to wish safekeeping — **Scallop shell earrings – a gift for hope – for a woman, young lady or teenage girl**

Scallop shell cross necklace to stay safe — Scallop shell and cross necklace – A unique piece of jewellery as a gift of faith

Camino jewellery safe travel bracelet — Do you want to encourage and support your friends or loved-ones as they walk life’s camino and face its challenges?

Camino shell ring with moonstone — A gift to wish someone well

Santiago scallop shell earrings for hope — Santiago scallop shell earrings ~ for hope

Camino de Santiago bracelet - leather — Elegant jewellery for life’s Camino

Other symbolic gifts to wish good health

The anchor is a Christian symbol for hope and steadfastness. The source for this symbol is said to be Hebrews 6:19: “Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast.” Anchors are found in many inscriptions in the catacombs of Rome and they were also carved on old Christian gems.

And Butterflies? Because the butterfly metamorphoses from a lowly caterpillar to a chrysalis and finally into a beautiful butterfly, it has a strong resurrection significance – a sign of New Beginnings . . a New Start.

Pearl and butterfly necklace — A gift to celebrate a change in life, starting something new

Although it is widely believed that the meaning of clovers pre-dates Christianity – going back to a time when clovers were used as Celtic charms, the lucky clover has Christian significance too – especially in Ireland. The Celts once extended across Ireland and into much of Western Europe and the Celtic priests, the Druids, considered them a sign of good luck, allegedly protecting against evil spirits and warding off misfortune and ill-health. In Irish Christian tradition, the Shamrock (or 3-leaf clover) represents the Holy Trinity: One leaf for the Father, one for the Son and one for the Holy Spirit. When a Shamrock has a fourth leaf, it represents God’s Grace, and so encapsulates everything that a person could want.

Circle of light clover necklace — Clover necklace – An enchanted gift to wish someone good luck especially for “New Beginnings”

Clover earrings for protection and safekeeping — Lucky four leaf clover stud earrings ~ rose gold, for protection and safekeeping

Lucky horseshoe cufflinks for protection — St Dunstan is said to have thwarted the Devil with a Horseshoe making it the perfect gift to wish good luck and protection from harm

Indalo cufflinks for luck and protection — Indalo (Indal Eccius – messenger of God) – for luck and protection and to pass on wishes of safekeeping

But overall, few symbols exist that are as widely recognised or hold as much meaning as the Cross. It is used worldwide to symbolise Christianity – and Faith in positive outcomes.

Christian cross dog tag for safekeeping — Christian Cross dog tag for safekeeping and health

Saint James cross Camino earrings – a unique gift to urge care and safety

Cross necklace to say Take Care - with love — Cross necklace to say Take Care – a gift of faith, sent with love

sAfe Jewellery Shield cufflinks — Safe jewellery – Shield cufflinks

Camino St James cross earrings — St James cross earrings – a unique gift to urge care and safety

Cross necklace gift of faith — . . a delightful gift of faith

And love? Possibly the greatest healer of all!

Angel wings heart necklace for protection — Send this Guardian Angel to watch over your friends and loved-ones – gifted with love

Jewellery gifts with meaning . . that’ll be us!

2021-01-292021-01-29

VALENTINE’S DAY GIFT ideas for CHRISTIANS

Is it possible to have Christian Valentine’s Gifts, that is, Valentines Day gifts – for a Christian?

We think so, and in our SHOP we have a few VALENTINE’S DAY GIFTS of jewellery combining themes of both Love and Christianity – in particular, Crosses with Hearts, but also Love-Lock-Key jewellery, Friendship jewellery, etc. as well as the ‘Love’ or ‘Romance’ gemstones of Garnet, Rose Quartz, Jade and Moonstone combined with a Christian symbol. Any of these can given as a Valentine’s present that has Christian overtones or significance.

But don’t some Christians believe that Valentines Day is a ‘pagan’ festival?

It is true that, whilst the origin of Valentine’s Day has ‘connections’ to Christianity, there are those that say that it actually originated in the Roman festival of Lupercalia. This was a fertility festival around February that honoured the Roman gods of Juno (goddess of marriage and women), Pan (god of nature), as well as Faunus, Romulus, and Remus. Others say that Valentine was a holy priest in Rome in the days of Emperor Claudius II, who was executed for preaching the love of God.

But the essence of Christianity is said to be Love and the doctrine of Saint Valentine was to embrace love, to show love and to preach love. Hatred was to be discouraged. And for this reason alone (if any reason is actually needed), St Valentine’s Day can be celebrated as a time to show our love (usually for someone in a romantic way) or even rekindle it.

So, despite the fact that a few Christians think that Saint Valentine is to be shunned, many, many more think that the expression of love is more important and, by combining love and Christian symbols in our jewellery, we are able to offer Valentine’s Day Gifts for Christians.

See some Christian VALENTINES DAY GIFT IDEAS in our SHOP

If you really appreciate someone who happens to be of the Christian faith, why not let them know – with one of our inspirational gifts for Valentine’s Day

Around this time of year we see that “love is in the air”, hearts are everywhere (mostly red – although heart-shaped boxes of chocolates are very popular), and flowers are ordered for those with more romantic Valentine’s Day gift ideas. People also have a bit of fun with their Valentines Day presents.

But many of these things, particularly flowers and chocolates, don’t last that long. So why not consider something a bit more persistent, enduring and lasting . . like Valentine Jewellery – meaningful jewellery for girlfriends, boyfriends, sweethearts, husbands, wives . . and friends.

But kind words are important too, and so we have made it possible for customers to add a personal message to each of our gifts, which we then print on one of our gift cards.

Gem Stones for luck in love?

Something else that might be of interest: We are the Good Luck Gift shop – so why not take a look in our store for a gift that might actually help you get lucky in love yourself! For example, some gemstones are said to actually attract love! In particular, Garnet, Rose Quartz and Jade are very popular. And it is also said that if you place a Moonstone under your pillow at night, you will dream of your loved-one!

A Christian prayer for Saint Valentine’s Day goes something like this:

“God bless you on this special day, God keep you in His care, and may His blessing and His love go with you everywhere”

And in the Bible (Corinthians), it mentions Faith, Hope and Love – saying that the greatest of these is Love. So let’s commemorate love on Saint Valentine Day and remember that, as the saying goes: “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.”

In popular culture, the heart signifies love: And we have quite a lot of HEART JEWELLERY in our Store

The heart is symbolic of our spiritual and emotional core because the heart is thought to be the seat of the human soul: A piece of heart jewellery depicts love, as well as commitment, passion and longing.

Another example of Saint Valentine’s jewellery isthe so-called lock and key jewellery, or the love lock necklace – whereby a lock and key is combined into a charm and used to signify a secured (and sometimes, secret) love connection: One half of the lock-and-key set is kept by each partner to maintain a feeling of connection – even when both partners are (or have to be) physically apart. Heart, lock and key jewellery is very powerful symbolically: Give a friend or loved-one a piece of lock and key jewellery, and it means you are gifting them a piece of your fidelity. In this way, you wish (and hopefully, will get) the key to their heart in return. Indeed, a key gifted to a loved-one is said to signify that you are actually holding the key to their heart.

And what about love jewellery in general? Do love charms actually work?

Love charms can be traced back to the ancient world of Egypt, Greece and Rome. Common Anglo Saxon love charms included rings, flowers (such as red roses, and lilies), a lock of hair – especially when braided into a circle and kept in locket; dove feathers . . and love jewellery.

Wearing a piece of love jewellery is said to make someone feel more desirable – at least in their own mind. Many women in Ancient Greece used love jewellery as well as spells as a form of therapy. Regardless of whether the spells actually worked, it made them feel more comfortable and it made them feel as if they had some control over their lives.

We hope that our Love Jewellery works in the same way, not only as the ideal gift, but also as something for yourself . . to perhaps help you to find true love with the special person or friend in your life. Our pieces of love jewellery worn in a noticeable manner, may well work in this respect. They are objects that represent a desired change or outcome, and the charm focuses the mind to help you get what you want.

We stock a great deal of Concha Shell jewellery too: The concha shell has a long association with love.

Indeed, the principal symbol of Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love, is the shell. Over thousands of years, gods and goddesses from different cultures have displayed concha shells as symbols of romance and love.

But whatever your beliefs, Saint Valentine is still the the patron saint of love and, every year on 14th February, people celebrate this day by sending gifts of love and affection to partners and friends.

2020-03-152020-05-12

STAY WELL GIFTS – KEEP HEALTHY, SAFE and KEEP the DREAM

With the spread of Coronavirus, some people are cancelling journeys and others are looking for ways to pass on their best wishes to friends, relatives and work colleagues to say look after yourself, stay healthy and safe, and keep the dream alive

As a good luck gift shop, we have decided to highlight some of the gifts that we have in our online shop to support this idea. We are aware that this could be labelled as jumping on the bandwagon, but the reality is that we already have a lot of saddened and downhearted customers – those who had planned and prepared, for example, to walk Spain’s famous Camino de Santiago, and who are now confined at home instead. A simple little gift to people like this who are suffering disappointment cannot be a bad thing – and in fact, we would encourage it as a means of offering support . . which is, after all, what the Indalo Camino Good Luck Gift shop is all about.

Stay healthy wishes

“Stay healthy and safe” seems to be the massage of the moment with Coronavirus spreading worldwide, and people are understandably concerned about the welfare of their friends and loved-ones.

However, the approach of how to deal with this virus varies around the globe. Spain, for example has adopted the “Italian” approach – lock everyone up until it has “gone away”. In the USA, there is a rapidly developing situation: At the current time, the policy seems to be one of “checks and balances”.

But in the United Kingdom, things are, at the moment, a bit different: The UK wants the population to acquire “herd immunity”. Robert Peston, working for ITV writes: Herd immunity is what happens to a group of people or animals when they develop sufficient antibodies to be resistant to a disease. The strategy of the British government is to allow the virus to pass through the entire population so that we acquire this herd immunity, but at a much delayed speed so that those who suffer the most acute symptoms are able to receive the medical support they need. In this way, the health service is not overwhelmed by the number of cases it has to treat at any one time.

This seems like sound advice (based on scientific principles). As the World Health Organisation has conceded, there is no way now of preventing the virus sweeping across the globe. Mr Peston says that the kind of coercive measures employed by China in Wuhan and Hubei have simply locked the virus behind closed doors. As soon as the constraints on freedom of movement, etc, are lifted, the virus will return again.

School closures? Take care

School closures and the banning of mass events like football matches are not particularly recommended. It is argued that children themselves are the least at risk from the virus and, by closing schools they may become a channel of infection to older carers such as Grandparents. The UK government adds that this policy would massively deplete the manpower of hospitals and care homes, because vast numbers of medical staff would be forced to stay at home to look after their children.

Although the policy of keeping schools open has been labelled as “risky” by some experts, Professor Ian Donald, University of Liverpool, says UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s plan for the outbreak is based on the idea that low-risk people are actually meant to catch the virus. When enough people have this immunity it eventually limits the spread of the virus as it has fewer places to go. The population overall is then safe because it has an inherent immunity to it. He is quoted as saying: “The UK starting assumption is that a high number of the population will inevitably get infected whatever is done – up to 80%. As you can’t stop it, it is best to manage it.” Writing in the Daily Record, Tim McNulty reports that the aim of the UK is to have as many lower risk people infected as possible. Immune people cannot infect others; the more there are, then the lower the risk of infection. That’s herd immunity.

The Italian strategy is to stop as much infection as possible – or all infection. This is appealing, but then what? The restrictions are not sustainable. So they will need to be relaxed at some time. But that will lead to re-emergence of infections and climbing rates again. This is not a sustainable model and takes much longer to achieve an immune population.

Take care of yourself

At present, National Health Service England simply advises people to stay at home for seven days if they have Coronavirus symptoms such as a high temperature and/or a new, continuous cough. They also say: Do not go to a GP (Doctors’) surgery, pharmacy or hospital. (You do not need to contact the health advice line 111 to tell them you’re staying at home). They say, testing for coronavirus is not needed if you’re staying at home.

The NHS also advises:
– Wash your hands with soap and water often – do this for at least 20 seconds
– Always wash your hands when you get home or into work
– Use hand sanitiser gel if soap and water are not available
– Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve (not your hands) when you cough or sneeze
– Put used tissues in the bin immediately and wash your hands afterwards
– Try to avoid close contact with people who are unwell
– Do not touch your eyes, nose or mouth if your hands are not clean

Wishing you well

So, if you feel inclined to send a little gift of condolences or well wishing, and to say keep safe, stay healthy – and keep the dream alive , please take a look at our Store .

Happy wishes – keeping the dream alive

In particular, we have Christian gifts of faith – many based on the Way of St James / Camino de Santiago to help Keep the Dream Alive .

We are shipping solely from the UK now and all Royal Mail services are functioning normally. You can see more information about our Store’s Shipping Polices here. Thanks for your support in these difficult times.

2019-12-262020-01-13

Happy NEW YEAR GIFTS to wish LUCK HEALTH and HAPPINESS

Going to a New Years Eve party? Friend making a New Year’s resolution? Someone starting a new adventure (a new business perhaps, or a New Beginning)? We have some of the best New Year gift ideas . . especially lucky charms and jewellery to wish luck and success in the coming year

See our shop for GIFTS for LUCK in NEW YEAR, NEW JOB, NEW START . .

New Year is a great time to give gifts of goodwill, warm wishes and well meaning to friends for the future. After the hubbub of Christmas with its family brouhaha and relationship complexities, New Years is about looking forward with hope and good intent. Some people, after 12 months of difficulties and disappointments are hoping for better fortunes in the coming year: Even for someone who has had a spectacularly good year, things can always get better! and this is the time of year to pass on your New Year wishes and help make good New Year resolutions come true, and wish them good luck for any New Beginnings.

New Beginnings or a New Start at New Year

New Year is a time for new beginnings and many people welcome the chance to start afresh and leave the past in the past: The New Start or New Beginning could be a new job, a new relationship, a new house / home or a first day in a new environment. Wishing someone luck with New Year lucky charm jewellery, for example, makes the best New Year’s gift. Youngsters or children could be going back to college or University to sit their final exams and need a little boost to their confidence.

SEE some LUCKY JEWELLERY for a NEW JOB or NEW START in our online shop

New Year gift ideas?!

But, as so excellently portrayed in the DailyMeal website, New Year is not only a time for new beginnings, but also a time for old traditions to encourage good fortune in the year to come: For example, at New Year in Estonia, some people leave part of their meal unfinished for the spirits of their ancestors who are said to visit the house on New Years Eve.

New year celebrations 2020 — Happy New Year!

On New Year’s Eve in Brazil, many people dress in white (said to keep away evil spirits) and jump over seven waves on the Copacabana beach, offering flowers and a wish to the goddess Lemanja while making seven wishes for the coming year. In the Netherlands, eating doughnut-like pastries that are filled with apples and currants is said to be lucky on New Years Day. In Sweden they serve rice pudding with an almond hidden inside and whoever finds the almond is said to receive good fortune throughout the coming year . . a bit like the Mexican “Rosca de Reyes” which is baked with a coin or charm inside (often depicting baby Jesus) for good luck. The Danes and the Germans eat fish (especially herring) on New Year’s Eve because their folklore says that it will ensure good luck. In Denmark, they also throw dishes on friends’ doorsteps which is said to show how much they value them as friends! And the Germans, like the Austrians, eat marzipan pigs for good fortune on New Year’s Eve.

Of course the English and Scottish have great traditions too: In 13th Century England, handsels were given as good luck charms when someone started a new job or at a new time in their life . . and particularly at New Year. It was recognised that this new start in someone’s life often needed some special help – and a good luck gift for a new job was thought ideal. The Scots in particular take part in “first footing” on New Year’s Day, bringing gifts of shortbread and whisky to a neighbour’s house.

SEE some HOUSE and OFFICE GIFTS for a NEW JOB or NEW START in our online shop

New Year’s Day marks the Festival of Saint Basil in Greece, where children leave their shoes out to be filled with gifts. St. Basil’s bread is baked with small trinkets inside, bringing luck to those who find them. Also as a symbol of birth and regrowth in the New Year, an onion can be hung on the front door of one’s home – alongside the Christmas pomegranate.

Good New Year resolutions?!

Italians hang mistletoe over the front door to bring good luck . . and eat lentils for prosperity. Women in Mexico wear red underwear if they wish to marry in the New Year, and pink is worn by pregnant women to bring luck to the baby. Those hoping to travel, carry an empty suitcase around the block! Many people in Spain and Latin countries eat 12 grapes as a bell is rung 12 times at midnight. Each grape represents a month of the year. By eating them at midnight each participant hopes to have happiness and luck for the next 12 months. And in Russia, people write a wish on paper, burn it, and then add the ashes to a glass of Champagne, and drink it immediately before midnight.

In many of these countries, there is a strong Catholic tradition or belief and holiday celebrations go on until Epiphany on January 6, and the whole fortnight from Christmas is dedicated to making wishes, giving blessings and engaging in soothsaying about luck and prosperity in the New Year. The symbols of Spain’s Camino de Santiago (the 1,000-year-old pilgrimage to the shrine of St. James in the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela – also known as the Way of St. James), also make great New Year gifts (for example, to wish good luck on a new adventure):

Camino bracelet for joy on the journey — Click for Camino de Santiago jewellery

It is worth pointing out however, that not all New Year celebrations take place on 1st January. The Jewish New Year is called Rosh Hashanah and it takes place in early Autumn. People eat apples and honey for a lucky year to come. The Chinese New Year is in February because they follow the lunar calendar . . but they still indulge themselves with lucky foods: Noodles, symbolising a long life, and dumplings which resemble gold nuggets.

The best New Year gift ideas?

Butterflies or rather, butterfly symbols (like the ever-popular tattoo, for example) are often used by people embarking on a change . . such as the new life that the New Year can symbolically bring. People are also asked to accept changes in their life . . just like the butterfly when it transforms itself from a little caterpillar. Butterflies can be symbolic of faith too, allowing the wind to carry us (and them) forward to our new goals and dreams. * BUTTERFLY CHARM JEWELLERY makes a great New Year gift for a friend’s new start in life . . their new beginning with new resolutions. This can be particularly true with teenagers moving into adulthood . . a symbol of letting go of old cycles and of finding a true inner self – expanding awareness, spreading one’s wings and moving forward to find their own place in life. Butterfly charm jewellery therefore makes the perfect gift for a friend’s new start in life . . their new beginning.

Another symbol of ‘reincarnation’ especially poignant at New Year, is the TAU Cross (also available in our shop with Jet / Azabache inlays): This can be gifted as a means of encouraging friends to have patience and acceptance, as they await their new start, their new beginning . . encouraging them to accept the things of the past – but also encouraging them to move on to a new life – to start a new adventure: A nice option for a New Years gift.

And then there is the ANCHOR symbol . . particularly for those who are having difficulties in life, the anchor can imply a self promise: To take stock, settle down and plan for a stable future – a symbol of hope with a fresh start. For those who are about to embark on something new and challenging, they can move forward to a new place in their life, make a new start, a new beginning – planting new roots and finding a better life – coupled with the hope for new stability and security . . with the confidence, self-assuredness, and trust in their ability to survive and succeed.

And of course, the ubiquitous lucky HORSESHOE is always a good bet. Or perhaps we should just do as the Danes do . . and break a few plates on our neighbour’s doorstep!

See some ACCESSORIES to WISH LUCK in a NEW JOB or a NEW START . . or for a New Year in our shop online

Make a resolution to send a happy New Year lucky charm gift for health and happiness this year: New business? New adventure? Get-well gift? Send warm wishes to someone for good luck in their new challenge, new start or new beginning.

2019-07-162022-05-17

LUCKY GIFTS

Did you know that over a third of people believe in luck (according to a YouGov survey) and a similar number consider that “touching wood” or “knocking on wood” will avoid bad luck?

Amongst sportsmen and women, this figure is much higher – especially on the big day of an event, competition, match or test / exam.

See Lucky Gifts for a special event or occasion in our ♥ Good Luck Gift Shop store online

If YOU are looking for a lucky gift . . you are not alone! At any one time, up to 30% of shoppers are looking to buy a gift (£1bn+ in sales, in the UK alone) and of those, 10% are shopping to buy a “good luck gift” – that’s a lot of good luck sentiment looking to buy something to pass on wishes of good fortune to a friend or loved-one in their latest venture, event or occasion.

Many politicians, actors and sports people in particular like to carry a lucky charm, talisman or amulet, or keep one in their car, house or office. But they are not the only people who believe in good luck symbols and charms: Millions of us like to put our trust in little good luck talismans to attract good fortune (or amulets to ward off bad luck). It’s probably all down to superstition: For example, so many people avoid the number 13 in the Western hemisphere, that it is often absent from the floor of a hotel or the seat number on a plane.

The truth is, that behind many of our beliefs, there is a long history of superstition to which many people feel compelled to adhere. For example, the tradition of touching wood for good luck, dates back thousands of years when trees and Mother Nature were perceived as having a special connection. Even these days, there are few people who will openly tempt fate. This is because they sub-consciously believe that Fate is lurking out there somewhere, and they don’t want to attract her wrath.

Carmina_Burana_wheel_of_fortune — The wheel of fortune – an ancient belief

In Greek and Roman Mythology, Fate was in fact THREE goddesses who presided over the birth, and life of humans. Each person’s destiny was depicted as a thread – spun, measured, and finally cut by the three Fates: Clotho, Lachesis, and Atropos. On the other hand, Lady Luck is said to be the personification of GOOD luck, a version of Fortuna (or the Greek goddess Tyche) who was the goddess of fortune and the embodiment of luck in Roman culture. Fortuna is often depicted holding a ship’s rudder, a Rota Fortunae (wheel of fortune, first mentioned by Cicero) and a Cornucopia (horn of plenty). However, even Fortuna represented life’s capriciousness and could bring good luck and bad in equal measure because she was also a goddess of fate.

Lucky gift Pig ceramic — Even the Pig is considered lucky in some cultures

So, over the centuries, the concept of luck has been important and even today millions of people genuinely believe that some sort of good luck charm will bring them good fortune and prosperity, and that it will keep misfortune at bay. In fact, it has been proved in scientific experiments that it is this BELIEF that makes them have good luck or bad.

The British Museum has a complete collection of lucky charms and talismans dating back centuries. Some of the most powerful people in the world have believed in good luck charms: President Roosevelt carried one in his jacket; Napoleon carried a lucky coin; and during his election campaign, Barack Obama carried an array of good luck charms in his pocket. Michael Jordan, the famous Chicago Bulls basketball star, spent his entire NBA career wearing his old University of North Carolina shorts under his team shorts – for good luck.

Lucky Indalo travel charm bracelet — Indalo mojo bracelet

Lucky gifts

So, yes, people like to have so-called ‘Lucky Charms’, and giving one to a friend or loved-one can be a smart idea because, overall, most people are mindful of Lady Luck and are often looking for ways to appease her. To make sure that your Lucky Gift goes down well, it would be wise to listen to the words of Tennessee Williams: “There’s real power in a thought made positive or concrete by a lucky charm”. Yes, lucky charm gifts really can help people’s dreams come true, and a gift for good luck that has real meaning will almost always be a success.

We have a great many good luck charms / symbols and LUCKY GIFTS in ♥ The Good Luck Gift Shop store . .

Our good luck gifts are based on ancient faiths, talismans, and symbols . . the sort that have helped people for many years. People have put their faith in these beliefs for centuries: And our gifts help people to have this belief. They have real provenance and derivation.

The simple lucky clover:

It is believed that the meaning of clovers pre-dates Christianity, going back to a time when clovers were used as Celtic charms. The Celts once extended across Ireland and into much of Western Europe and the Celtic priests, the Druids, considered them a sign of good luck, allegedly protecting against evil spirits and warding off evil / bad luck.

According to legend, the four leaves of a Lucky Clover represent hope, faith, love, and luck because, in Irish Christian tradition, the Shamrock (or 3-leaf clover) represented the Holy Trinity: one leaf for the Father, one for the Son and one for the Holy Spirit. When a Shamrock has a fourth leaf, it represents God’s Grace, and so encapsulates everything that a person could want.

The ubiquitous lucky horseshoe:

The Horseshoe is probably the most commonly recognised good luck symbol in the Western World. The combination of luck, protection, religion, and magic that is captivated by the Horseshoe symbol means that many people believe it will bring them good fortune – and help to ward off evil.

Man has long believed that the crescent-shape was a powerful protective talisman: For the Greeks, it symbolised the moon with links to Artemis and Diana. In olde England, St Dunstan nailed a horseshoe to a horse when working as a blacksmith. But the horse was actually the Devil in disguise and it caused the Devil great pain. St Dunstan only agreed to remove the shoe after the Devil promised never to enter a house with a horseshoe. And so, the symbol of protection arose.

Lucky gemstones:

For years, people have thought that certain gemstones have magical powers. e.g. Jade is supposed to promote longevity; Rose Quartz to attract love, and Carnelian is believed to bring courage.

Back to Cleopatra and beyond, gemstone jewellery has been worn for their supposed magical powers . . to help protect people, bring them prosperity and good luck, as well as good health, longevity . . even love, and to help them to succeed. It has been scientifically proved that this belief brings people better fortune in their lives.

Religious symbols for good fortune

Many people believe that religious symbols can bring them good fortune. For example, on the famous Camino de Santiago across northern Spain it is common to see people carrying the Scallop Shell symbol – la concha de vieira . . an expression and reflection of their faith perhaps, but also for some, it has been give them as a lucky gift to wish “buen viaje” or “buen camino” or “good journey”.

Travellers cross promoting faith and good fortune

Many also carry with them the cross of St James, the Travellers Cross – believed to promote faith and good fortune.

Not all lucky gifts are the same. But one thing is certain: The gifts for good luck in our shop are designed to be just that: Gifts to pass on good fortune – items for the home or office that are genuinely believed to be lucky – possessing provenance and real, genuine character that really DOES mean something, and usually featuring symbols that people have put their faith in for many years.

Make sure that your lucky gift has real provenance / derivation. If it doesn’t, it’ll just be another meaningless gift to fill up the mantlepiece shelf.

Now that you know it’s best if a lucky gift has real meaning, you’re ready to find that ideal and magical gift for good luck that features in our shop