Doorway Magic and House Protection

Hello, lovely ones! 

In my line of work, I see the inside of a lot of people's houses (I work in health care).  When I enter the front door, I love to take a quick glance at the inside of the front door and around the doorstep.  Why?  No, I'm not nosy.  I love seeing the different good luck and protection charms that hang over the doorway, that are outside the front door, or around the doormat.

I might go into a home where the residents are Latino, Mexican, or from Central America, and I see a knife hanging over the door on the inside, along with a bulb of garlic.  Or Saint Michael the Archangel's picture is hanging over the doorway.  I've walked into houses with HUGE statues of Saint Michael with one, three, seven or nine clear glasses of water around him.  Now, those are Espiritismo techniques for serving St. Michael, but I've been in plenty of Italian Catholic so-many-pictures-of-Pope-John-the-Second-on-the-wall
houses with St. Michael's picture hanging near the front door.  Nothing bad will get in that front door with St. Michael on the job!

I walked into an Indian restaurant where a lemon hung on a red string was hanging above the inside front door.  I'm going to assume that the lemon will keep away bad luck?  If anyone of Indian descent can clue me in, please do! 

Horseshoes: I've seen them hung above the front door with points up (to collect the luck and hold it) and points down (to let the good luck "shower" down on people).

What about plants?  Sure, lots of people have shrubbery around the door, but people seem to put green plants that "twine" (like ivy) near the front door either inside or out.  Some plants can protect against evil, or draw money. 

I have seen a few Elleguas behind front doors and carefully stepped around him to keep from tripping :)  Ellegua is the Orisha that guards the door and opens that door so the other Orisha can come down.  If you've ever seen a triangle-looking cement head sitting in a dish, that's Ellegua.  People feed him candy, rum and cigars.

I see elephant statues in a LOT of houses, either with Black or Caucasian inhabitants.  The elephants have their trunks up.  It's an old good luck charm. 

I'm sure there are lots of charms, powders and other things hidden under doormats that I can't see.  I've seen lots of Hamsa hands to deflect the evil eye.

What kinds of tricks do you know to put around the entrance to your home or business?  Let me know in the comments.  And may good luck and happiness come through your doors, always!