In 2021, we only get one Friday the 13th. Today is that day. Are you someone who believes in the superstations of the day? Do you seem to always have a hard time on the unluckiest day on the calendar? Or is it just another day of the week for you?
According to William Hartston’s book Encyclopedia of Useless Information, “In Christian tradition, fear of Friday the 13th stems from the day of the Crucifixion (Friday) and the number at the Last Supper (13). Despite these origins, the Friday the 13th superstition dates back only to the Middle Ages.” Over the decades the religious aspect of the holiday has seemed to all but fade away, but we still hold on to the superstition of the number 13 being unlucky in modern society and especially if it lands on a Friday.
The idea of an “unlucky date” is definitely not unique to our culture. According to Top Universities, in Italy Friday the 17th is considered unlucky. In Spain, it’s Tuesday the 13th that brings fear of bad luck. We are not alone in the Friday the 13th superstition with places like the UK and Germany sharing our fear of Friday the 13th.
For most of us, the day brings back memories of watching cheesy movies about Jason Voorhees and his mom slashing teens at Camp Crystal Lake. I don’t know about you, but I have never once had a bad thing happen on a Friday the 13th. But if you are worried about your good fortune for the day, break out the rabbits foot and push through. We won’t have another Friday the 13th until May 2022. For those who do enjoy the spooky feeling of the holiday, enjoy the video below!