What's so special about Friday the 13th? The thirteenth day of the month falls on a Friday between one and three times per year and occurs in any month that starts with a Sunday. It's just a regular day, right? So why is it associated with bad luck? Millions of people suffer a clinical phobia of Friday the 13th, some to the point that they refuse to get out of bed.
The history behind the association of Friday the 13th with bad luck can be traced to two separate factors. Both the number thirteen and Friday are associated with bad luck, so the combination of the two packs a double punch to those who believe in luck.
The Number 13
The number thirteen is widely believed to be unlucky to the point that it is often skipped when assigning house numbers, skyscraper floors, hospital room numbers, and airport gates. There is even a name for the fear of the number thirteen: triskaidekaphobia.
Why is the number considered thirteen unlucky? National Geographic points out several reasons. The first involves a Norse myth about twelve gods having a dinner party. The mischievous Loki showed up and became the thirteenth guest. Balder the Beautiful, the god of joy and gladness, tried to toss the uninvited guest so Loki proceeded to arrange the murder of Balder with a mistletoe tipped arrow. Another unlucky guest was Judas, the thirteenth guest at the last supper. Finally, “in ancient Rome, witches reportedly gathered in groups of 12. The 13th was believed to be the devil”.
Friday
As for the belief that Friday is unlucky, much of it is biblical. Friday is believed to be unlucky because it is the day Jesus was crucified. It is also believed to be the day Adam and Eve got kicked out of the garden of Eden and the day Cain murdered Abel.
Is It Really Unlucky?
Is there anything behind all this? According to a study published in the British Medical Journal, there were 1.4% fewer vehicles on the road on Friday the 13th than on a regular Friday, however there were more hospital admittances due to traffic accidents. However a Dutch study claims that there are actually slightly fewer accidents and fires on Friday the 13th than on a regular Friday.
The small amount of data on the subject is ambiguous. And there is always the human factor, that people who believe in luck might stay home or even unconsciously create bad luck by expecting it. National Geographic states, “"It's been estimated that [U.S] $800 or $900 million is lost in business on this day because people will not fly or do business they would normally do," said Donald Dossey, founder of the Stress Management Center and Phobia Institute in Asheville, North Carolina”.
If you are afraid of bad luck this Friday, you are not alone. Millions of people suffer from friggatriskaidekaphobia (fear of Friday the 13th). If you are a skeptic, look on the bright side: you may be able to get a deal on airline tickets. According to the Los Angeles Times, flights on Friday the 13th cost 14% less than an average day.
Sources:
- John Roach, Friday the 13th Phobia Rooted in Ancient History. National Geographic. August 12, 2004. Accessed May 9, 2011.
- Weisstein, Eric W. "Triskaidekaphobia." From MathWorld--A Wolfram Web Resource.
- T J Scanlon, Robert N Luben, F L Scanlon, Nicola Singleton, Is Friday the 13th bad for your health? 18-25 December, 1993. Accessed May 9th, 2011
- Tineke van der Struik, Friday 13th not more unlucky, Dutch study shows.Reuters. June 13, 2008. Accessed May 9, 2011.
- Hugo Martin, Unlucky dates make for travel deals, study finds. Los Angeles Times. October 30, 2009. Accessed May 10, 2011.
