Scottish/Celtic customs for dedicating a new home?

[macwilkin]

Okay, I have to ask - where did the horseshoe thing come from, really? I always thought it was an American thing.

It's pretty much a universal thing. Some credit St. Dunstan, Archbishop of Canterbury, who reportedly shoed the Devil's hoof "by mistake" and then removed the shoe only if Auld Nick promised to never enter a dwelling with a horseshoe above the threshold.

But there are many other legends that are just as, if not older, associated with the horseshoe. Horseshoes are considered lucky because of their association with blacksmiths and the "Holy Iron".

It used to be fairly common for a bride to be given a decorated horseshoe as she was leaving the kirk for good luck.

Regards,

Todd

[Archangel]

It's pretty much a universal thing. Some credit St. Dunstan, Archbishop of Canterbury, who reportedly shoed the Devil's hoof "by mistake" and then removed the shoe only if Auld Nick promised to never enter a dwelling with a horseshoe above the threshold.

But there are many other legends that are just as, if not older, associated with the horseshoe. Horseshoes are considered lucky because of their association with blacksmiths and the "Holy Iron".

It used to be fairly common for a bride to be given a decorated horseshoe as she was leaving the kirk for good luck.

Regards,

Todd

I would suggest that the Saint thing was a case of syncretism (whoa, there's a word).

Put yourself in the early times, Dark Ages, if you will, now imagine finding a piece of iron the size of a horse-shoe. You can do almost anything with wrought iron. It's like the plasticene of the age, heat it, shape it, use it. Need another tool? You just reshape it.
Only the rich have iron, and you just scored big time.
Lucky or Blessed? Your call.