Different seasons have a variety of animals associated with them that are symbolic of the season or the new year in general and often end up appearing on silver animal charms as a symbol of good luck.
Here are three animals connected to the festive season and what they mean.
Robin
The striking and beautiful robin, with its red breath feathers and brown wings, is often used in winter scenes as a bright contrast to the snow that has rested on a particular scene.
Unlike most birds, which migrate to warmer climates during the winter, robins tend to stick around, in part because they are quite small and self-reliant.
They are a symbol of renewal and a new start, with the robin often being a symbol of springtime, festive hope and grace.
Reindeer
One of the animals most associated with Christmas itself, and specifically of Santa Clause and his sleigh, reindeers are fast, large animals that are exceptionally graceful, and represent an almost carefree way to travel through challenges, trusting in their own intuition.
More specifically, reindeers are often associated with endurance, wandering and journeying which may be where the connection to reindeers was first forged in the famous winter poem ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas’.
Donkey
The humble, hard-working donkey is a symbol of determination and a strong, almost stubborn will, and has often been used to represent humility, as they have often been used as pack animals to carry and pull heavy loads.
This is probably most famously the case in the novel Don Quixote, where it served as the faithful mount of the Man of La Mancha’s loyal squire Sancho Panza.