Both February and March of this year, have had the 13th day fall on a Friday. In November, there will be a third Friday the 13th for 2015. What I didn’t realize is how common this actually is! Did you know that any month starting on a Sunday, always has a Friday the 13th in it? I bet you hadn’t put two and two together (I’m admitting I didn’t – thank you Google enlightenment!), but when you boil it down, it makes perfect sense.
So what’s with people being all freaked out by Friday the 13th?
Fear of the number 13 has actually been around a lot longer than the specific fear of FRIDAY the 13th.
Most places (be they cities, buildings or businesses) don’t use the number thirteen as part of their infrastructure. No 13th street, 13th house number, 13th floor or Room 13/Gate 13. Most explanations for this seem to revolve around the idea that the number 12 is a complete number – and boy, do we see examples of this EVERYWHERE:
• 12 inches in a foot
• 12 signs of the zodiac
• 12 pitches in an octave
• 12 months in the year
• 12 Gods of Olympus
• 12 hours of the clock
• 12 animals in the Chinese Zodiac
• 12 pairs of ribs in the human body
• 12 cookies in my favourite box… ;)
And the list goes on and on. As a result of this, any instance that goes beyond that perfect and complete 12, seems to make people uneasy. It moves them outside of their comfort zone - raising red flags all over the place – ding, ding, ding - scary!
Couple that fear of the number 13 with some pretty popular bad news literary references to Fridays (for example: the Bible, Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales, Henry Sutherland Edwards' 1869 biography of Gioacchino Rossini, Nathaniel Lachenmeyer’s Thirteen) – and whammo – you have the unluckiest, most feared day(s) of the year – FRIDAY THE 13th!
On a serious note, for some this is not just a superstition to make light of – for some it is a true phobia. The phobia is known as friggatriskaidekaphobia. The word comes from Frigg, the name of the Norse goddess for whom Friday is named, and triskaidekaphobia, or fear of the number 13.
Back in 1881 an enlightened and brave group of 13 (of course!) people started an organization to try and dispel the fear and myth surrounding this unlucky number 13. They called their club "The Thirteenth Club". At their meetings they did traditionally unlucky things - like walking under ladders, breaking mirrors, and spilling salt. As you can see, their efforts went in vain. People still think 13 is unlucky. If you believe one of my psych professors from University – it’s because we want to! For us average folks, we love anomalous experiences – our brain feeds off of the excitement of them.
So…here’s a goodie! Fun fact - 2049 will be the next Friday the 13th that ALSO falls on a full moon – how’s that for a double whammy of superstitious hookyness.
Elizabeth King is currently filling the role of Interim Assistant Manager at Lang Pioneer Village Museum. She has been working at the Village since May of 2009. Elizabeth is passionate about history, costuming, reading, vegan culinary crusades and environmental pursuits. When she isn’t in the middle of a project at Lang, she is often found with her head in the clouds.
