In Eastern cultures, dragons symbolize luck and good fortune. In Western cultures, they stand for mythological magic. In all, dragons are a beastly feast for the eyes and offer lots of fun — and 2012, the Year of the Dragon, is dedicated just to them.

In Tammy Hollenbach's Clay Elementary School second-grade reading class, students recently learned about the Chinese culture and its new year celebration. And although the Year of the Monkey is almost-8-year-old Haley Watt's favorite — no one in Grade 2 is just 7 — she's more than happy to embrace the dragon this year.

The Ephrata Area School District students read and studied "Sam and the Lucky Money" by Karen Chinn, "Chinatown" by William Low and "Chinese New Year" by Rob Arego.

Haley's favorite part of the celebration is "when the dragon comes around in the parade, because it's all colorful," she said, while choosing a brilliant purple background for her own dragon mask.

For 7 1/2-year-old Ethan Hurst, it's the dragon's teeth that make it cool. For Colin Zucchi, 8, it's the excitement of the baby in Mom's belly being born in a year known for luck and strength.

But Rebekah Ehrhart, almost 8, was looking forward to scaring her sister with her dragon mask.

Many uses, that dragon …

At Glass Accents, Etc., in the Shoppes at Brickerville, owner LeeAnne Kornbau knows dragons — at least, those created by artist Thomas von Koch — have the power to please the eye. She sells his dragons, at $58 each, in her boutique. They come in different colors, each handmade and one of a kind.

"We do have a group of people who look for dragons," Kornbau said. As far as she knows, though, the magic is only in the beauty they provide to collectors and fans.

But there are people who fancy dragons as talismans and love them for their fabled powers. At thequalipedia.com, a consumer information website, visitors learn to select their own dragons for the new year through tips offered by "dragon expert" Dawn Bryan. She advises visitors to choose by heritage, bodily features, color and abilities. Indeed, not all dragons come with wings.

At Lebanon's Hobby Lobby, you can buy your own dragon for a little more than a dollar and it has the magical power to grow up to 600 percent his (or her?) original size. You'll have to water it, though, before it performs. It comes with a warning: "Slippery texture is normal." One would think so.

Even the Angry Birds are celebrating the new year with the release of the Year of the Dragon app. In the game, a menacing eagle transforms into a dragon, while eye-popping red lanterns and fireworks abound. This dragon is not to be taken lightly. It has the power to silence your child and render him or her virtually brain-numb for hours.

For television viewers who love "Game of Thrones," dragon attire is available at the HBO shop in New York City or online. You can proclaim, via T-shirt, that "fire cannot kill a dragon" — but these dragons do have the power to empty your wallet.

Whatever your heritage, maybe the good fortune comes to those who count less on dragons and more on their blessings and fate … especially before the Snake comes around next year.

lschmidt@lnpnews.com