Lucky charms to inspire you for the New Year

We're counting down 2019's last few days and getting ready to welcome the new year. What better way to welcome the year of the rat than to have a variety of lucky charms with you?

Here are a few handy lucky items you can get for a more prosperous 2020.

1. Bamboo

A bamboo plant is considered lucky in many cultures especially if it has a lot of stalks. Get your own potted bamboo plant or a lucky bamboo ornament to bring happiness, wealth, and longevity to your year.

2. Clover

Four-leaf clovers are well-known lucky charms but unfortunately, they're very rare to find. Only 1 in 10,000 clover plants are carrying this unique trait. The four leaves are believed by Celtic culture to represent faith, hope, love, and luck and carry mystical powers. Get yourself a four-leaf clover keychain or item for an improvised lucky charm.

3. Dreamcatcher

These nightmare banishers come from the Native Americans and are believed to catch bad dreams as they enter a household. What's more, these beaded ornaments look great as displays in the house or office and are quite easy to find in stores and bazaars.

4. Lucky dice

Dices represent the game of chance and became popular as lucky charms back in World War II when soldiers and pilots would carry their own lucky dices in hopes of returning home safely. You can use fuzzy dice toys than can be hung inside a car or you could glue brightly colored dice in your work area for a functional talisman.

5. Numbers 7 and 8

The number seven is known to represent luck, perfection, and knowledge while the number eight means prosperity in Chinese culture. Incorporating these digits in your daily number choices or simply using items that have the numbers seven or eight.

6. Rabbit foot

Rabbit foot keychains are considered lucky and originated from a legend that says the left hind foot of a rabbit can ward off evil spirits. It's never good to harm a living bunny, but there are many rabbit-inspired designs and fake rabbit's feet you can use as house slippers or decorations.

7. Rainbow

The symbol of hope. A rainbow signifies the bright energy that comes after a storm and the legend that you'll find a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. Not only are they considered lucky, they are also beautiful and easy to integrate in your things.

8. Coin

Many people believe a coin found lying on the ground is lucky, but only if you find it face-up. Chinese I-Ching coins are also believed to be incredibly lucky and can make pretty decorations that can add a little extra luck.

Remember, while it's harmless to follow simple traditions, nothing beats real effort, diligence, hard work, and vigilance to welcome the New Year.