Friday the 13th has the reputation of being a superstitious and eerie day, but how did it become such an unlucky day?
My guess is it was way before the movie Friday the 13th. But to be sure, I decided to do a little research. As it turns out, the superstition dates back centuries, and some of the things associated with this day are quite funny, making it great material for today’s Funny Friday.
Did you know:
- The fear of Friday the 13th is called friggatriskaidekaphobia, and the fear of the number 13 is simply triskaidekaphobia.
- In Spanish speaking countries… and Greece, Tuesday the 13th is considered a day of bad luck, while Friday is completely normal. On the other side of the Mediterranean, Italians believe Friday the 17th is unlucky, but consider the number 13 to be lucky.
- Some people even think that 13 is unlucky because 13 people attended the last supper.
- Friday has been considered an unlucky day at least since the 14th century’s The Canterbury Tales.
- The number 13’s association with Friday, however, didn’t take hold until the 20th century. In 1907, eccentric Boston stockbroker Thomas Lawson published a book called Friday the Thirteenth, which told of an evil businessman’s attempt to crash the stock market on the unluckiest day of the month. Little did he know, the stock market would crash on a Tuesday… and it was on the 24th not the 13th… Sorry, Lawson.
- Then came Jason. In 1980, Paramount Pictures released a delightful film that would solidify the day in pop culture. Friday the 13th (which claimed “Fridays will never be the same again”), is a slasher flick about a series of murders at a summer camp.
Alas, today is not simply Friday the 13th, but Full Moon Friday the 13th… spooky scary! Its pretty rare that these two things happen on the same day. The last time was in 2000 and the next time wont be until 2049. But here are some funny facts and studies attempting to prove that bad things are more likely on a full moon.
- A full moon is considered unlucky if it lands on a Sunday but lucky if it falls on “Moon-day” or Monday. (Maybe its an indifferent moon on Friday).
- “Honeymoon” gets its name from the full moon in June, because it’s between harvesting and planting seasons, something to consider if you are dating a farmer.
- It would take hundred of thousands of moons to equal the brightness of the sun, so there never really was a reason to wear your sunglasses at night, Corey Hart.
- There have been various studies trying to link surges in crime to a full moon, and a UK study found that more scuffles were more likely to breakout in a prison in the days leading up to a full moon. Assuming stirring up trouble wasn’t apart of these inmates lives, I would have been more shocked but to me that just sounds like an average day at prison.
- Apparently your chances of being bitten by a dog during a full moon are twice as high in comparison to other moon phases, so stay away from those cute little puppies today, they are just waiting to sink their teeth in you.
Cover Photo Source: Stanimir G.Stoev
[author] [author_image timthumb=’on’]https://wpmaster.sjadv.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Our-Space-The-San-Jose-Group.png[/author_image] [author_info]Maggie is a creative Junior Executive at SJG. While she earns her bachelor’s degree from Columbia College Chicago, Maggie keeps herself busy with photography, painting and graphic design.[/author_info] [/author]