Austrians present their nearest and dearest with small ”lucky pigs” around Christmas time in a custom thought to date back to a spinster’s success in finding a husband.
The ”Gluecksschweinchen”, made out of plastic, pewter, brass, or as a cuddly toy or even in bronze, is supposed to bring its recipient good fortune in the year to come.
The tradition originated in German-speaking countries from an old maid who was given a piglet, decked out in a gold paper heart, and went on to find a husband, according to Vienna’s Museum of Arts and Popular Traditions.
In the past, the ”lucky pig” was offered from November 11 for Saint Martin’s Day, while in some rural areas rice pudding is still served at the end of the Christmas meal in which a whole almond is hidden. Whoever finds the nut is given a small lucky pig made out of marzipan as a present.
Sometimes the pig takes the form of a petit four cut out with a pastry cutter and flavoured with cinnamon, cloves or lemon zest.
Lucky pigs are often used as decorations for the Christmas tree.
They are regarded a protector and can also assume different symbolic shapes, such as a lucky charm, a four-leaf clover, a star or the moon, cosmic signs, the fish insignia of Christ or a bird. — Sapa-AFP