Horseshoes. Hamsa hands. Lucky bamboo. What do they all have in common? Humans have been reaching for them for thousands of years, hoping to tip the cosmic scales. This week we take a world tour of good luck — the charms, the plants, and a few wild facts you won't see coming. Spoiler: the scarab beetle is a dung roller and chimney sweeps are still getting hired to kiss brides. Buckle up. Arts, culture, and food for thought — this is RenFare.

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1. Wikipedia — List of Lucky Symbols: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_lucky_symbols

2. National Geographic — How Good Luck Charms Reflect World Cultures: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/article/evil-eyes-and-other-good-luck-charms-around-the-world

3. HISTORY — 8 Unusual Good Luck Charms: https://www.history.com/articles/eight-unusual-good-luck-charms

4. Invaluable — 24 Good Luck Charms from Around the World: https://www.invaluable.com/blog/good-luck-charms/

5. Reader’s Digest — 15 Good-Luck Charms from Around the World: https://www.rd.com/list/good-luck-charms/

6. Fortune & Frame — 17 Good Luck Symbols from Around the World: https://fortuneandframe.com/blogs/news/good-luck-symbols

7. Plantisima — 17 Lucky Plants Throughout History: https://plantisima.com/lucky-plants-throughout-history-and-how-to-grow-them-today/

8. Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum — The Auspicious Arrival of the Jade Plant: https://www.gardnermuseum.org/blog/auspicious-arrival-jade-herald-good-fortune

9. Good Luck Symbols — Lucky Bamboo: https://goodlucksymbols.com/lucky-bamboo/

10. Jackpot.com — The History and Significance of Lucky Numbers: https://www.jackpot.com/blog/lottery-tips/the-world-of-lucky-numbers

11. HowStuffWorks — 13 Superstitions About Lucky and Unlucky Numbers: https://people.howstuffworks.com/13-superstitions-about-numbers.htm

12. NextShark — Lucky and Unlucky Numbers Around the World: https://nextshark.com/lucky-numbers-superstitions-and-phone-numbers

13. History Skills — The Surprising Viking Origins of the Days of the Week: https://www.historyskills.com/classroom/year-7/days-of-the-week/

14. Tasarla Romaney — Superstitions Around the Days of the Week: https://tasarlaromaney.wordpress.com/2025/03/07/superstitions-around-the-days-of-the-week-what-each-day-holds-in-folklore-and-myth/

15. Britannica — Week (Origins): https://www.britannica.com/science/week

16. Inner Sanctum — Unraveling the History of Luck: https://shopinnersanctum.com/blogs/news/a-journey-through-time-unraveling-the-history-of-luck

17. Ancient Origins — 10 Ancient Superstitions and Their Origins: https://www.ancient-origins.net/history-ancient-traditions/ancient-superstitions-0019832

18. Wikipedia — Luck: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luck

19. Kaneland Krier — The History of Common Superstitions: https://kanelandkrier.com/columnist-corner/the-history-of-common-superstitions/