"A gift given at the beginning of the year or to mark an acquisition or the start of an enterprise, supposedly to bring good luck", Middle English (denoting luck): apparently related to late Old English handselen 'giving into a person's hands', and Old Norsehandsal 'giving of the hand to seal a promise', from hand + an element related to sell; the notion of 'luck', however, is not present in these words.[hansel etymology, hansel origin, 英语词源]