Friday the 13th: The lure, fear, origins, tattoos and, of course, Taylor Swift
Friday the 13th #Fridaythe13th
The infamous day, Friday the 13th, is almost here and during the spookiest time of year.
In the same way that many people avoid walking under a ladder, breaking a mirror or even crossing paths with a black cat, those who consider themselves to be superstitious (or even just a little ‘stitious’) may be holding their breath this Friday.
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What is the origin of Friday the 13th?
Why are we so wary on Friday the 13th? According to History.com there is a long history of the number being considered bad luck.
It’s unknown when exactly the superstitions began around the number 13, but they have existed for centuries.
The number 12 has been considered by Western cultures to be a perfect number so 13 has been known to be an unsettling number. There also may be some ties to Christianity and Norse mythology because at both the Last Supper and a dinner party in Valhalla, the 13th guest betrays the host.
Has anything bad happened on Friday the 13th before?
Historically there have been a few instances of bad things happening on Friday the 13th. From natural disasters to murder.
Friday, Oct. 13, 1307: King Philip IV of France arrested hundreds of Knights Templar and later had them executed
Friday, Sept. 13, 1940: Germans bombed Buckingham Palace
Friday, March 13, 1964: Kitty Genovese was murdered in Queens, New York
Friday, Oct. 13, 1972: A Chilean Air Force Plane disappeared in the Andes
Friday, Sept. 13, 1996: Tupac Shakur was shot and killed in Las Vegas, Nevada
Friday, Jan. 13, 2012: The Costa Concordia cruise ship crashed off the coast of Italy
Fear of the number 13 has a phobia
Some people are so scared of the number 13 that it has its own phobia. Triskaidekaphobia (sounds like tris·kai·dek·a·pho·bi·a) is the fear of the number 13 and the fear of Friday the 13th also has a phobia, paraskevidekatriaphobia (sounds like para·skevi·deka·tria·pho·bia).
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Friday the 13th Flash Sales at Tattoo Shops
Many tattoo shops like to participate in the Friday the 13th fun by hosting flash sales, where you can choose from specific sheets of tattoos for the day at a discounted price (usually the number plays into the theme as well).
Be sure to check out your local tattoo shops to see if they have any deals.
13 is Taylor Swift’s lucky number
Now if you’re a Swiftie, you might not so be so scared of the number 13. While many think seeing the number 13 is a sign of bad luck, Taylor Swift has claimed the number to be her lucky number for years. Her birthday even falls on the 13th of December (but she wasn’t born on a Friday).
So it was no surprise to Swifties that she chose Friday the 13th as the release date for her long-awaited concert film, Taylor Swift The Eras Tour. It will be opening in local theaters on Friday.
Contact IndyStar reporter Katie Wiseman at klwiseman@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter @itskatiewiseman.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Friday the 13th: What to know about the day, Taylor Swift connection