IT’S A SHOE-IN

Probably the most popular front door talisman in the UK, an upturned horseshoe is thought to bring good luck. They’re made of iron, which is said to ward off evil spirits and keep the fey at bay – our ancestors didn’t think of fairies as the twee little winged creatures that we do today, but rather as mischievous and often malevolent spirits capable of causing great harm.

According to the myth of St Dunstan, the Devil will never enter a house that has a horseshoe on the door. In the Wiccan community, the horseshoe is a symbol of the crescent moon, and therefore represents growing wealth and prosperity. The shoe is traditionally attached with seven nails, since seven is a holy or lucky number in many faiths. Be warned that when a horseshoe is turned upside down, the householders’ good luck is said to drain away.