Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, says this about the evil eye: The evil eye is a widely distributed element of folklore, in which it is believed that the envy elicited by the good luck of fortunate people may result in their misfortune, whether it is envy of material possessions including livestock, or of beauty, health, or offspring. In Albania many people believe in the evil eye, and the result is one of the stranger sights one sees—hanging Santas, Smurfs, Teddy Bears, and Disney characters on the corners of buildings.


The way it works is this: when a person has the good fortune of being able to build a new home, the jealousy which this fortune may invoke on others, and the evil eye which may follow, is a real concern. To counteract this the one constructing the home or office or store will hang a doll of some kind from an outer periphery of the construction. That doll is meant to draw the gaze of the onlooker away from the construction and, thereby divert their attention and avert the evil eye.

The net result is strange to me. When I first noticed it, I thought it was kind of cute--until on examination I found Mickey Mouse being hung by the neck until dead. Hardly something you would see in America… Then I learned what it was all about, and chuckled. But while seemingly harmless, this custom could be taken very seriously, and even if not it can make us stop and think about the superstitions we have, their origins, and whether or not they are harmless, and whether or not they are compatible with our faith in the God who is far beyond magic, supersition or the like.