“It’s been estimated that [U.S] $800 or $900 million is lost in business on this day because people will not fly or do business they would normally do.” Donald Dossey, author of Holiday Folklore, Phobias & Fun.
Many people fear Friday the 13th. Since ancient times, both the number 13 and Friday have been considered unlucky. Put them together and you got yourself one scary day. Some people will not go to work on this day, eat in restaurants, get married, shop or do anything of consequence. That also includes buying homes. In all my 25 plus years as a real estate lawyer, I have never had a closing on Friday the 13th.
What gives with the number 13? Thomas Fernsler, an associate policy scientist in the Mathematics and Science Education Resource Center at the University of Delaware, said the number 13 got a bad rap from number 12.
According to Fernsler, numerologists consider 12 a “complete” number. There are 12 months in a year, 12 signs of the zodiac, 12 gods of Olympus, 12 labors of Hercules, 12 tribes of Israel, and 12 apostles of Jesus.
In exceeding 12 by 1, Fernsler said 13’s association with bad luck “has to do with just being a little beyond completeness. The number becomes restless or squirmy.” Squirmy huh?
Now you know why you don’t see many 13th floors or Apartment 13s or homes on 13th Street or 13th Avenue, no matter how good the location.
Other Friday and 13 facts (or fiction):
- The ship H.M.S. Friday set sail on a Friday, was captained by a James Friday, sailed on a Friday the 13th …and was never seen again
- The Turks so despised the number thirteen they banned the word from their vocabulary
- Continental Airlines does not have a row 13 on any of its planes (but Delta does)
- The Fairmont Hotel in Vancouver, B.C., has a room 1313 which many guests consider lucky.
- The first reference to Friday the 13th came in 1908 in a New York Times story about an Oklahoma Senator Owen who tried to introduce 13 bills on Friday the 13th.
- A 1993 British Medical Journal study showed an significant increase in hospital admissions from traffic accidents on Friday the 13th
- there are 13 months in the pagan lunar calendar
- In Britain, Friday was the day for public hangings, with 13 steps up the gallows. Ancient Rome also observed Friday as the “Hangmans’ Day”
- On Friday the 13th, 1306 King Philip of France arrrested the Knights Templar and tortured them. The Knights never forgot it.
- The Code of Hammurabi omits law 13 from the list
- Satan was the 13th angel and Judas the 13th guest at the Last Supper; Cain slayed Abel on a Friday and Eve tempted Adam on a Friday (Eves are still tempting Adams at Fridays during Happy Hour)
- September 13, 2019, will be the next year a full moon falls on Friday the 13th
- In Greece and Spain, it’s Tuesday the 13th that’s unlucky
- Friday is named after Frigg (Frigga) Norse Goddess of the Sky, wife of Odin
Frigg spinning the clouds (wikipedia)
Sources: About.com; National Geographic News; wikipedia; via;snopes.com; How stuff works; Reb Chaim HaQoton.
Technorati Tags: Friday the 13th, superstition, Frigg,
I had a guynamed Jason, show up wearing a hockey mask asking to see a listing. I said “no”. Is that against a fair housing practice.
Ed,
Thats pretty funny b/c I showed 13 houses today with some lady named Mrs. Vorhees, she said she was looking for a new home by a lake?
There’s a nice mansion for sale at 1313 Mockingbird Lane.