In regard to the new year 2025, we wanted to put animals into the focus of an Europeana gallery that are considered as lucky charms in folk beliefs around the world. For example, in our cultural sphere in Middle Europe it is quite common to gift each other little figurines of chimney sweeps, horseshoes or four-leaved clovers, but also pigs and ladybugs at the turn of the year. In addition, many traditional beliefs concerning lucky animals originate from the asian part of our world. This contribution will put some of them into the spotlight.
You can find a compilation of the different lucky charms on Europeana.
“Prosit Neujahr” – animal charms in Middle Europe…
There are numerous figures in the Middle European culture that promise luck and prosperity for the new year, but (only) two important ones are animals: the pig and the lady bug.

The pig is one of the most popular lucky charms in Germany and Austria. One reason for that is its high significance in the germanic culture. It was a sacred animal and connected to the god Freyr and his sister Freya. In that regard it meant fertility and strength. In addition, the possession of a pig was in every era a sign of wealth and prosperity because of its worth to society.
The lady bug was considered a gift of the Virgin Mary, hence the name “Marienkäfer” in German. The beautifully patterned bug was a blessing for agricultural pest management and therefore a very popular lucky charm.
Map by Toy Museum of the City of Nuremberg licensed under CC BY-NC-SA
… and around the world
There are numerous other animals around the world that promise luck and prosperity in different cultures, especially on the Asian continent. Those animals are woven into the cultural history as well as arts and crafts. They are often provided with desirable attributes like patience, strength, intelligence and fertility.
For example, in Asia, but also Africa, the elephant is a lucky charm because of its strength and intelligence. In India he is also associated with the deity Ganeisha. The whorshipping of the elephant is especially high in Thailand, where you can buy little figurines of them on every corner. Lucky charms also foster artistic practices by the broad population: In Japan, the crane is a common symbol for luck and a long life. The folding of Origami cranes for memorial reasons has become a common practice since the dropping of the atomic bomb on Hiroshima. The Vietnamese, on the other hand, craft dragonfly charms and eternalize them in artistic drawings. They promise a rich harvest and play a big role in Vietnam’s ecosystem.
Fotografi, Photograph by Museum of Far Eastern Antiquities licensed under CC BY-NC-ND


Another Asian symbol of luck is the money frog. Little statues of frogs with coins in their mouth shall bring prosperity to the household. In addition, there is a little charm that everybody around the world knows by now: the japanese waving cat, Maneki-neko. The cat shall beckon luck and prosperity from the window sill. Another symbol fur luck and strength is the carp in Japan. On May 5th, carp banners are shown across the country and living coi carps are still gifted for good luck.
Winkekatze als Glücksbringer by Badisches Landesmuseum Karlsruhe licensed under CC0
In many countries the butterfly is seen as a good-luck charm. Because of its vonversion from larvae to a grown butterfly he is a symbol fro positive transformation. In addition, he is whorshipped for its beauty and fragility.
Aktstudien der Fortuna für “Jagd nach dem Glück” mit Schmetterling by Herzog Anton Ulrich Museum licensed under CC BY-NC-SA
