Friday The 13th Superstitions: Where'd They Come From?

Today is Friday, May 13, 2011 -- the only Friday the 13th of 2011.

Friday the 13th happens at least once a year due to the modern calendar. Like last year, there's just one this year, but watch out: there are three in 2012 (January, April, July).

When you combine an historically unlucky day (Friday) with an unlucky number (13), all sorts of weirdness is bound to ensue. Hence the obsession with Friday the 13th.

Historically, some unlucky events are believed to have occurred on the day too. French King Philip IV rounded up hundreds of monks and tortured them for heresy on Friday, October 13, 1307. Some say Jesus Christ was crucified on Friday the 13th. More recently, on Friday, March 13, 1992, an earthquake in Turkey killed nearly 2,000 and left 50,000 homeless.

The No. 13 itself has driven people crazy for centuries, in large part due to Friday the 13th. Some people are so obsessed that triskaidekaphobia was born -- the fear of the number 13.

That fear has led the human race to make some strange decisions. Here are 13 examples. Vote on the most ridiculous and be extra careful today!

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No room in the inn

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Hospitals and hotels regularly have no room number 13.

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Hospitals and hotels regularly have no room number 13.

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Ken Giles said on 13 Friday 2011 am31 12:23 am: We've only eight days to go, so let's make this one count! PARTY!!!

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1 of 14

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[dirtyliberal88]

08:49 AM on 05/24/2011

I was born on May 13, 1988 (a Friday) and it fell again on a Friday this year - it amazes me how many people make comments about how unlucky I must be.
I really thought people were over the whole superstition thing.

[sephswaenepoel]

01:20 AM on 05/17/2011

As hard as they may try to prevent there from being a 13th floor, or a 13th aisle or a 13th room they cannot. Yes they may not label it "13" but numerically the number cannot be avoided for stuctures that include more than that number of spaces, rows, or floors. Just because you pretend it doesn't exist by skipping it in label doesn't mean the number just disappears.

[macs3rd]

12:48 AM on 05/16/2011

I think most Americans are far too sophistikated to believe in superstition. I know I am. As long as noone says "no hitter" when there have been no hits off a pitcher before a game is over, I'm fine.

[Juff 420]

09:49 AM on 05/18/2011

You're too "sophistikated?" It's spelled "sophisticated" with a "C", not a "K." Glad to see your college degree helped you out in life lol

[macs3rd]

02:06 PM on 05/18/2011

My friend k8 spells it like that. Can you spell joke?

[hoopee]

06:16 AM on 05/15/2011

I have severe Negropedainducophobia. I guess it's from growing up watching my grandfather parade around the house in them.

[tcny]

09:01 AM on 05/14/2011

I grew up on 13th Avenue AND have 13 letters in my name; there were also 13 steps up to my childhood bedroom -- am I DOOMED?

[ababy123]

08:58 AM on 05/14/2011

when I was a child we were taught " step on a crack, break your mothers back." My friends would all avoid cracks in the sidewalk, street ect. Not me, and to prove my theory I would step on them all, rush home and call out to my mother. "What?" she would yell back. "Oh, nothing, just wanted to see if your back was ok.." My mom would laugh and say, " been stepping on cracks again?" She was never superstitious and she taught us not to be. I dont believe in any of that stuff! needless to say, I have broken mirrors, walked under ladders, split poles, and begged black cats to cross my path!!

[butchcliff]

07:51 AM on 05/14/2011

So many superstitions..so few beds to hide under

[Brigette]

03:10 AM on 05/14/2011

People are nutty. My mother won't walk under a ladder, won't put her purse on the floor, and when I laid an umbrella on my bed once, she almost had a heart attack. Taught this stuff from her own Irish mother. I suspect it's the proverbial fish tale that got bigger and bigger over the years.

[SeeTheFnords]

05:19 PM on 05/14/2011

Many superstitions are weird, granted... but not walking under ladders is just plain common sense. So sayeth Safety Canary.

[MagicalPossibilities]

12:22 AM on 05/14/2011

The Death card in Tarot is not a bad sign. It just means change. The Moon (18) and the Tower (16) are the worst...

[Brigette]

03:05 AM on 05/14/2011

How about the ten of swords? oh my. :)

[butchcliff]

07:52 AM on 05/14/2011

oh my indeed

[butchcliff]

07:49 AM on 05/14/2011

& the dark haired Queen of swords can be a scary girl sometimes

[ZZPOT]

11:06 PM on 05/13/2011

The slide show says 14 but there's really only 13.

[stape45]

08:49 PM on 05/13/2011

“If you have 13 letters in your name, you're said to have the devil's luck.”
---------
So, why is Ric.h.ard C*h.eney such a wonderful fella?

[MagicalPossibilities]

12:23 AM on 05/14/2011

So THAT's why he goes by "Dick", LOL!

[14tavoliberal]

08:46 PM on 05/13/2011

So my name has 13 letters, I'm cursed!!!! This is just superstitions only weak minded people believe

[edgarcaycedoc]

08:00 PM on 05/13/2011

I long ago made my peace with Friday, the 13th. I turned 13 on Friday, November 13.

[trweste144]

05:50 PM on 05/13/2011

"More than 80% of high rises lack a 13th floor."

"But people on the 14th floor, you know what floor you're really on. If you decide to jump out the window, you will die earlier." --paraphrase of a Mitch Hedberg joke.

[joyf1]

05:21 PM on 05/13/2011

Older generations in Italy still consider 13 a lucky number. I still have my 13 necklace given to me by an aunt from Italy. I read where the younger people in Italy now look at 13 as unlucky.

[laacevedo88]

08:24 PM on 05/13/2011

interesting. and here I was thinking 13 was universally known as unlucky