Distelfinks are considered to bring good luck by the Pennsylvania Dutch, much like the unicorn does for some.

Other shapes include hearts for love, the eagle for courage and strength, doves for friendship, crescent moons for the four seasons, rosettes for good luck, stars for protection, tulips for faith, hope and charity, wheat for abundance and scallops for smooth sailing in life.

Years ago, all hex signs were one-of-a-kind and hand painted. The colors used on hex signs were very bright and had special meaning. There is a common thread of belief that blue and black are for protection; green is for fertility and growth; orange is for success in a career; red is for emotions, passion, lust and creativity; violet is for things that are sacred; white is for purity and yellow is for mind and body wellness. Over the years, skilled craftsman began silk screening the designs which made it possible for people all over the world to enjoy them.

American Eagle	There are several different design incorporating eagles including the popular American Eagle. The North American bald eagle spreads his wings to proclaim his power and majesty. The eagle's breast sports a red, white and blue American flag shield. The shield represents independence for all. The stars add a generous measure of good luck. The overall design symbolizes strength and independence.
Bird of Paradise	The bird in this sign is the Bird of Paradise which symbolizes the beauty, wonder and mystery of life. The Pennsylvania Dutch "Willkom" (welcome) greets one and all and the heart adds a measure of love.
Bless This Child	A large, lace edge picture frame heart filled with love forms the design center called Bless This Child. The child's name may be proclaimed in the heart. The lambs symbolize wonder and innocence. Distelfink birds add happiness and good fortune; the overflowing Trinity tulips provide faith, hope and charity. A heart border, to reflect everlasting love, completes the design.
Bless This House	Bless This House features a large, red, picture-frame-style heart asking for a blessing on the house. The Distelfink bird wishes the home happiness and good fortune. And flowers and greens ensure the home is filled with life and vitality.
Circle	The Circle, among the oldest symbols known to man, is a symbol of eternity or infinity. Our sun, the planets of the solar system, and our earth are round. Hex signs are traditionally round, utilizing this ancient symbol of continuity. What goes around comes around.
Daddy Hex	The Rosette, a symbol of good luck, is a popular design for Hex signs. In this design, called the Daddy Hex, the outer rosette has 12 petals for twelve months of good luck. The smaller rosette provides an added measure of good luck during difficult times of the year.
Distelfink	The Distelfink was the good luck bird of the Pennsylvania Germans. It actually was a stylized version of the goldfinch. The goldfinch eats thistle seed and uses thistle down for its nest and was called a thistlefinch from which comes the Pennsylvania Dutch "Distelfink. This single distelfink sign is a symbol of good luck and happiness. The heart adds a measure of love and the tulips faith.
Double Distelfink	The Double Distelfink represents the good luck bird of the early Pennsylvania Dutch. The two birds gives a "double measure of good fortune. The Trinity tulips stand for faith in yourself, faith in what you do and faith in your fellow man. The scalloped border symbolize ocean waves for smooth sailing through life.
Double Headed Eagle	The Double Headed Eagle in this sign stands for strength and courage. The heart is laced for love in marriage and the three tulips, known as the Trinity Tulips symbolize faith, hope and charity.
Double Trinity Tulip	The stylized tulip with its three petals is a dominate feature in Pennsylvania Dutch folk art. It is referred to as the Double Trinity Tulip and it symbolizes the Trinity as well as faith, hope and charity. The heart in this sign (as well as other Pennsylvania German folk art) is not the heart of sentimental "Victorian" valentines. Rather, it is religious in its representation of the heart of God, the source of all love and hope for a future life. The colors in this heart are used to give them additional meaning. Red symbolizes strong emotion and blue is used to indicate strength, especially spiritual strength. The white background symbolizes purity and the solid black circle represents unity in Christ.
Doves of Peace	The Doves of Peace design depicts two facing doves perched on a flowering tulip and heart "tree". The doves, heads turned away from each other, symbolize peace and trust. The bold, red heart is for love. Its use to form the tree's base also suggests love may be the necessary foundation for lasting peace. The flowering tulips are "overflowing" with faith for all. This very popular symbol proclaims peace, faith and trust.
Dutch Irish	One of the most popular hex symbols is Dutch Irish. It features a large, green shamrock, the traditional good luck sign of the Irish, as the design’s center or heart. A pair of Irish Distelfink birds shower the shamrock with a "double measure" of happiness and good fortune. Trinity tulips add faith, hope and charity; the decorative heart is overflowing with love for all. This design proclaims good luck of the Irish.
Eight Pointed Star	One of the more familiar geometric hex signs is the Eight Pointed Star. It features a large, eight-pointed star usually blue in color. Nestled between the star’s points are alternating red tulips and stylized sheaves of wheat. A smaller eight-pointed star forms the design center. The stars and sheaves of wheat symbolize abundance and goodwill. The tulips provide faith and trust in mankind. Overall, this design ensures abundance in our lives and goodwill to all. Its striking appearance and design clarity make it a popular choice for large buildings.
Family Blessing	The Family Blessing design features a large, endless floral "ring of life." The ring's center (or heart) proclaims the family blessing for all to see. The floral ring's many tulips "shower" the family with faith and hope; the star flowers add good fortune in our lives. Overall, the family blessing highlights the importance of a loving, supportive family in everyone's lives.
Fertility, Health and Friendship	Fertility, Health and Friendship is the hex sign most frequently seen. These are often painted in many colors depending on the tastes of the person who designed it.
Good Luck	Good Luck, Love and Happiness features the mystical "Bird of Paradise" symbolizing the beauty, wonder and mystery of life on earth. The four leaf clover add a large measure of good luck. Overall, this design extends "good luck, love and happiness" to all mankind.
Home Wilkum	Another of the classic hex signs is Home Wilkum. This design is often seen on porches and other entry ways. The large stylized Pennsylvania Dutch greeting, "Wilkum," extends a warm and friendly welcome to all. Facing Distelfink birds provide a generous measure of happiness and good fortune for all. A "lucky" star and greenery add luck and bountiful life, respectively. This sign is often used to welcome visitors.
Horse	The Horse played a major role in early farm life. It is not surprising, therefore, the horse was one of the symbols selected to ensure protection for farm animals and pets. It helped protect against disease and lighting. An early version of this design showed a stylized horse head cleverly placed inside a five pointed star. Here, the star provided an added measure of good luck. This design protects farm animals and pets.
Haus Segen	Haus Segen is one of the most loved of Jacob Zook hex designs. It depicts a large, red "picture frame" heart proclaiming the house blessing. The decorative lettering reflects the influence of early German writing. Colorful Distelfink birds and lush flowers surround the "home blessing" to ensure family happiness and good fortune.
Hereford	The Hereford was also used in hex signs. Herefords, steers raised for food, highlighted the importance food and food animals play in life. Like the horse head design, the Hereford also protected farm animals and pets.
Love and Friendship	This very striking design called Love and Friendship depicts two Distelfink birds warmly embracing to show their love and friendship. Their "one" heart is laced with love for each other; the tulip adds faith this love will be everlasting. An endless ring of rain drops showers them with life's bounty. Overall, this popular symbol proclaims love and friendship.
Love and Marriage	Here in Love and Marriage the "heavenly" joining of two doves symbolizes the matrimony of a man and woman. The two hearts, united in love, represent the joining of their bodies and spirits as one. Trinity tulips ensure a life filled with faith, hope and charity. The scalloped border ensures smooth sailing on the sea of life. This design is often personalized as a keepsake of this important event.  Overall, the marriage sign proclaims a loving, happy marriage.
Love and Romance	This more simple design called Love and Romance is quite typical of older geometric designs. A large, six petal rosette in the design's center is one of the basic good luck symbols of the Pennsylvania Dutch. Red hearts are prominently placed between the rosette's blue, red and gold petals. The rosette ensures luck and success in love. The hearts, carefully placed in a closed circle, provide endless enchantment and happiness. A decorative, scalloped border completes the design.
Luck Multicolor Twelve-point Rosette	Luck Multicolor Twelve-point Rosette wishes you a joyous month for each month of the year, love and kindness, and smooth sailing through life. These can be simple with two or four colors, or multicolored like this one.
Maple Leaf	The hex sign called Maple Leaf features five large maple leaves in colorful earth tones radiating from the design center. The colorful leaves symbolize the diversity and beauty of life here on earth. An eight-petal rosette in the design center, offering good luck, completes the design. Overall, the Maple Leaf design means appreciation of life’s beauty; sweetness and purity of life is another accepted meaning.
Morning Bird	Morning Bird features two, facing morning birds joyfully singing their song of happiness. A large, four pointed "star" flower adds a generous measure good fortune throughout life. The lush flowers and greenery symbolize health and vitality. The "endless" outer ring offer everlasting life. Overall, the "Morning Birds" offer health and happiness to all. The presence of two birds also suggests true happiness may require others in your life.
Oak Leaf	The Oak Leaf or Mighty Oak is made up of four oak leaves in bold colors radiating from the center. The Oak symbolizes strength in body, mind and character. The four colors of the leaves symbolize the seasons of life and the wavy border in the outer ring symbolizes smooth sailing in life.
Old Double Distelfink	The Old Double Distelfink is made up of two doves and a heart in the center to indicate love, good luck and happiness. Like the newer version of the sign Double Distelfink it represents the good luck bird of the early Pennsylvania Dutch. The two birds gives a "double measure of good fortune. The Trinity tulips stand for faith in yourself, faith in what you do and faith in your fellow man. The scalloped border symbolize ocean waves for smooth sailing through life.
Petal Rosette	The Petal Rosette is aptly named. This very familiar geometric designs shows a large rosette having 12 colorful petals. The rosette is the traditional Pennsylvania Dutch good luck symbol. Here, the twelve petals, one for each month of the year, ensure good fortune all year. The leaf clusters near the outer ring symbolize family groupings. Placing the leaf clusters in a continuous ring highlights the importance family unity and support plays in our joyous, happy life. The rich earth tome colors create a very striking design. Joy and prosperity are the key themes of this design.
Pineapple	This design features a large, stylized Pineapple ripe with color. The pineapple symbolizes warmth and hospitality for all. Overlooking the pineapple, a welcome greeting is happily offered to all. Flowers and leaves symbolizing unending life complete the design. The pineapple sign extends a warm and cordial welcome to all.
Single Rosette	The Single Rosette is the most basic motif of hex signs and it is one of the most ancient designs in western culture. The rosette appears on buildings, furniture, gravestones and pottery. The rosette design is a symbol for luck and the scalloped border symbolizes smooth sailing. The color red is used to symbolize strength and green is a life color. This sign with the red rosette is a potent safeguard against harm and portends good luck in life.
Tree of Life	A somewhat unusual hex sign is called Tree of Life. It features a large stylized tree lush with God’s bountiful fruit. Each of the tree’s fruits depicts a traditional geometric hex design. The rosette offers good luck; the eight-pointed star offers abundance; the hearts ensure love and romance; the tulips shower life with faith, hope, and charity; and the rain sign ensures harmony with nature. An "endless" outer circle symbolizes everlasting life. The Tree of Life design offers a "happy life and joyful memories" for all.
Willkommen	The hex sign Willkommen features a large "welcome greeting" (in German) to one and all. The large, red heart is centrally placed to proclaim a loving heart and home. Tulips, grouped in couples, symbolize the importance of family and friends play in a happy life. Here, they shower the "home" with love and support. A distelfink bird watches over the home with an added measure of good luck and happiness. Overall, this design conveys a happy home and many friends.
Sun, Rain and Fertility	A well known geometric hex design is Sun, Rain and Fertility, featuring a large, eight-pointed star with a stylized "sun" center. The sun warms mother earth and lights our lives. Rain drops, shown in an endless circle, provide the unending moisture critical to life on earth. Together they provide all God’s people with a bountiful harvest and renewed life. Overall, this design offers abundance in field, barn and home.
Triple Star	The Triple Star motif symbolizes good luck, success and happiness. The ring of brown is associated with the cycle of life making this particular sign a wish for a lifetime of happiness.
White Unicorn	The White Unicorn is a very striking design. It depicts two large facing unicorns. These wild, legendary "horse like" animals had a horn in the center of their foreheads and a lions' tail. Unicorns symbolize piety and virtue. Their close placement is designed to show all God's creatures, even "wild animals," can live in peace and harmony. Love and a generous portion of faith are added by the heart and tulips, respectively. Overall, this design provides piety, virtue, peace and contentment. It was the design often placed on the hope chests of young ladies.

We get too soon old and too late smart.

Pennsylvania Dutch Proverb