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by Feòrag

Germany: Germany has some distinctive New Year symbols, and Elizabeth Goetze has taken a look at their origins.

Take the one-cent piece, the lucky penny - now this one seems fairly obvious, right? A piece of money becomes a token to assure financial happiness in the coming year. But there's more to it, as I found out. The copper in the coin is commonly associated with Venus, the goddess of love, and therefore should increase the bearer's lovemaking abilities - an ancient aphrodisiac, if you will. Lucky pennies were also once nailed on stable doors to keep away witches. Carried in your pocket the penny is supposed to ward off sham and deceit in your business dealings. Now that's more than you can ask from a Viagra pill, if you ask me.

The Fliegenpilz, a red-capped mushroom dotted with white spots, has long been associated with witchcraft and sorcery in Germany - good powers to have on your side for the new year. The chimney sweep, on the other hand, has a more practical background. A clean chimney was vital to villages and town centers with wood-constructed buildings: one single fire could easily wipe out an entire settlement. And the pig has been a symbol of fertility and wealth for centuries in many cultures. The Germanic goddess Freya was also known as Syr, which means sow, and the wild boar was a holy animal among Germanic deities.

Good luck! - Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung Weekly, 31st December 2004.