Oh hooray! It’s Friday the 13th. Since I am a bit backwards, my parents always taught me it was a lucky day to celebrate. Not one to hate on.
Not everyone is so lucky. Most people have a fear of Friday the 13th. It’s a bad day for bad things. Might as will stay under the covers.
Legend has it: If 13 people sit down to dinner together, one will die within the year. The Turks so disliked the number 13 that it was practically expunged from their vocabulary (Brewer, 1894). Many cities do not have a 13th Street or a 13th Avenue. Many buildings don’t have a 13th floor. If you have 13 letters in your name, you will have the devil’s luck (Jack the Ripper, Charles Manson, Jeffrey Dahmer, Theodore Bundy and Albert De Salvo all have 13 letters in their names). There are 13 witches in a coven.
Some people even refuse to go to work on this day.
Most of these fears are irrational and learned as children. Stories, folktales and irrational fears become a long-standing tradition. Most of these things were taught to children to keep them from doing incredibly stupid things during dark and archaic times.
Really there is nothing to be afraid of. Or is there?
Have a paralyzing fear of Friday the 13th? Well you may have what is called, friggatriskaidekaphobia.
The fear of Friday the 13th has been called friggatriskaidekaphobia (Frigga being the name of the Norse goddess for whom “Friday” is named and triskaidekaphobia meaning fear of the number thirteen)
Sadly it is a very real condition.
According to About.com, a group in the UK studied Friday the 13th and hospital admissions. Because of this silly paranoia, 52% more car accidents are likely to happen on friday the 13th.
We live in the 21st century. Why would we STILL embrace this?
Let’s not forget Jason?
Adding a really awesome horror series to this ‘afflicted’ day. You reeled in ever teen from here to 1970 something and made them have an extra special phobia Jason will visit on this dreaded unlucky day.
Hi mom, I love sharing Friday the 13th so much, I beheaded you, so you can celebrate it with me. *Shudder*
How do we counteract this crazy friggatriskaidekaphobia?
Simple.
This means DO walk under a ladder. If a black cat crosses your path you’ll be safe and happy all day. Have dinner with your favorite 13 people. Go get your horror freak on and watch EVERY Friday the 13th movie EVER made. That’ll show Mr. Hockey mask.
Today might be Friday the 13th but it doesn’t mean it’s bad. In fact make it your lucky day.
It’s happening 3 times this year 13 weeks apart. Might as well embrace the dark side and enjoy it.
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