Friday the 13th contains myth and superstition.  We have Friday the 13th between one and three days a year.  It can be a time of excitement for those who view the day and it's connotations entertainment.  Or, it can be a day of great distress for those who believe in the superstitions attached to this kind of day.

     Why Friday?  Some of the things over the years that were said to be unlucky if it was Friday are setting sail on a ship, starting a journey, cutting your nails, starting a new job, writing a letter and even knitting.  It was also a custom to hang criminals on Fridays for quite sometime (unlucky for the criminals anyway).

     There was one thing that was considered lucky for a Friday; if you waken from a good dream on a Friday morning and want it to come true, you simply tell it to a family member and you have assured yourself a dream come true.

     Why the number 13?  The fear of the number 13 even has it's own phobia, triskaidekaphobia.  The phobia for the fear of Friday the 13th is paraskevidekatriaphobia.

     Buildings avoid having a floor numbered 13.  There were times when the number 13 was strictly avoided in addresses, office numbers, hotel numbers.  Especially prominent in Paris, for some reason, you will be hard pressed to find the number 13 on a single house or apartment.  Instead of thirteen they use 12 bis (this translates as 12 twice).

     To the pagans in the Middle Ages Friday the 13th was considered quite lucky.  The reason being that it combined the goddess' sacred day Friday and the goddess' sacred number 13.  It was a day of festivals and celebrations for the pagans.

     It is believed by some Christians that it was a Friday when Eve tempted Adam with the fruit from the Tree of Life.  The New Testament in the Bible shows the Last Supper as being the only time Jesus gathered with His disciples in this fashion and there were 13 total at the gathering.  This gathering fortold the coming crucifixion of Christ.  The superstition arising here being:  When there are 13 at the table the one who rises first will soon die."  (In France, there is an agency that hires out an extra dinner guest to make 14 to keep the number from being 13)  We acknowledge Christ's crucifixion on Good Friday.  So, some Christians consider Friday the 13th a day of taboos.

     Not all cultures consider the number 13 unlucky.  The meaning of the number thirteen to the Chinese culture literally is "alive".  The Chinese do have a number they consider unlucky and this is the number 4.  The Chinese word for four sounds very much like the Chinese word for death and apparently this is enough reason to fear the number four.

     In modern day Australia, you will find Friday the 13th to be the day when the most lottery tickets are sold.  It's as if they are trying to defy the odds on a day said to be so unlucky.

     Some folks won't even come out of the house on Friday the 13th.  There is a fear of coming in contact with other superstitious signs and symbols on an already unlucky day.  Things such as black cats, accidently walking under a ladder, etc.

     How about you?  Are you superstitious or are you comfortable with Friday the 13th being just another TGIF?