In uncivilized cultures today might be viewed as a day of doom but in a culture like ours, today is viewed as Friday. Which is a good thing. The weekend is upon us and most of us will have a day or two off.  It doesn't matter that the date also happens to be the 13th which when it falls on a Friday has been rumoured to be a cause of bad luck. 

Erik Eastman via Unsplash.com
Erik Eastman via Unsplash.com
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It seems as if when I was a kid, Friday the 13th was a bigger deal. No, not the movie series, the day in general. I think back two, three, or even four years ago we allowed ourselves more room for superstition in our lives. I guess it's because we didn't have reality slapping us in the face on the Internet every time we looked at our phones.

To me, Friday the 13th and the alleged bad luck it brings has gone the way of the St. Patrick's Day pinch. You don't hear about people pinching each other for not wearing green anymore and you very seldom hear about superstition playing a part in the major news events of the day anymore. This is fine because reality is apparently scary enough.

Mariola Grobelska via Unsplash.com
Mariola Grobelska via Unsplash.com
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But still, there is a cultural, pop-cultural reason to be aware of Friday the 13th. So, we've gathered a little bit of information on the subject that you can use to ward off people who can't carry a conversation or who want to talk about the Kardashians with these nuggets of knowledge.

Eric Rothermel via Unsplash.com
Eric Rothermel via Unsplash.com
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What Months will have a Friday the 13th?

Any month can have a Friday the 13th provided the first day of that month is a Sunday. Now, whenever New Year's Day is on a Thursday then it's guaranteed that there will be a Friday the 13th in February, March, and November. The last time that happened was in 2015 it will happen again in 2016. Oh, and if it's a leap year and January 1st falls on a Sunday then there will be a Friday the 13th in January, April, and July.

Friday the 13th has a Major Impact on our Economy.

Have you ever stayed on the 13th floor of a hotel? Most hotels don't even have them simply because of the "13" factor. The airlines are hit every year by the Friday the 13th factor. It's true, if you want to fly on an uncrowded plane, pick a flight on Friday the 13th. Oddly enough hospitalizations, accidents, and natural disasters are not more prevalent on Friday the 13th. So, all the bad stuff must be happening only between our ears.

Taylor Heery via Unsplash.com
Taylor Heery via Unsplash.com
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Is Friday the 13th Unlucky Everywhere?

Actually, Friday the 13th is considered to be a day of good fortune for people that live in Italy. It has to do with Roman Numerals. You know the numbers we only see when the Superbowl is about to be played. Well, in Italy the number 13 is considered to be lucky while the number 17 is not, that's because the Roman Numeral for 17 is XVII. Those letters can be shuffled to form VIXI which is actually a word that means "I have lied" which is considered to be a bad omen.

Where did the Friday the 13th Superstition Come From?

Most historians attribute the "fear" of the number 13 to Norse Mythology. However, there are Biblical historians who connect the distaste for the number 13 to the "Last Supper". You might recall Jesus was crucified on a Friday and there were 13 guests at the "Last Supper" prior to his crucifixion.

Cdoncel via Unsplash.com
Cdoncel via Unsplash.com
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Is It Always Friday that's the Bad 13th?

No, not at all. While many cultures do make the connection of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ on a Friday to misfortune there are cultures that hold a different day in low regard. Many Spanish speaking countries as well as the country of Greece view Tuesday the 13th as an unlucky day. I'd have to admit, I'd be a lot more concerned with a Tuesday than with a Friday.  It's just hard to make Fridays bad in my book.

So, now you know more than you ever thought you'd know about Friday the 13th. Head out into the world and enhance the knowledge of others with your sudden intelligence on the subject, or just sit quietly and smile knowingly about the 13th floor of these buildings.

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