Friday the 13th Where do the superstitions originate from?

Why are there superstitions on this date?

This week it’s Friday the 13^th once again, believed to be the unluckiest day of the year despite little being known about its origins. If a month starts on a Sunday, it will have a Friday the 13^th. Some believe the day has biblical origins, as Jesus was crucified on a Friday and there were 13 guests at the Last Supper. It was also said to be the day Eve gave Adam the fateful apple from the Tree of Knowledge. Friday the 13^th used to be known at Hangman’s day, during the Middle Ages criminals would have to walk up 13 steps up the gallows before being hung.

The fear is very real

The fear of Friday the 13^th is known as ‘Friggatriskaidekaphobia’ or ‘Paraskevidekatriaphobia’, it’s so widely spread that it’s even cheaper to travel by plane. More than 60 million people worldwide claim to be affected and some people won’t even get out of bed on this day. It has inspired one of the most popular horror movie franchises of all time with 12 films to this date, books, video games and lots of heavy metal music. There is a big superstition around having 13^th floors in buildings, in fact, more than 80% of high rise buildings avoid having a 13^th floor and will usually skip to 14. Another superstition is that if a black cat crosses you on Friday the 13^th, you will have bad luck.

Unlucky for all?

If you don’t believe in all the superstitions you can still use it as an excuse not to do any housework, as it’s considered unlucky to do any laundry or changing sheets. Everything Branded offer promotional products perfect for any national day or event.