Bye bye, bad luck! Here’s how to use Friday the 13th to your advantage
The scariest day of the year has arrived. Friday the 13th has reared its ugly head and forced people to become shut-ins for a 24-hour period. Supposedly, the superstition that Friday the 13th is the unluckiest day of the year is linked all the way back to biblical times when the number 12 was deemed the symbol of completion (12 months, 12 Apostles, 12 hours on the clock, etc), and number 13 was shunned as the outlier.
Along the way, it picked up more baggage when the Friday the 13th horror movie debuted in 1980, and people started taking note of all the whacky and unfortunate things that take place during Friday the 13th. This year, for example, people were flipping out over Finnair Flight 666 out of Copenhagen headed for HEL (Helsinki, Finland) at 13:00 local time. Those who booked a spot on that flight obviously give no freaks, if you know what we mean. Even though it seemed this flight was destined to receive some bad juju, it landed in Helsinki without any issues.
So perhaps Friday the 13th shouldn’t be as feared as it has been in the past. It’s just another day out of the year, after all. Now, to use the stigma of Friday the 13th to your advantage, here are just a few things you can do…
1. Watch Friday the 13th and eat all the comfort food you can muster.
When in Rome, right? Today is the perfect day to pay classic 1980s Jason a visit while you gorge on popcorn, candy, mac ‘n cheese, homemade chocolate chip cookies, and more. There’s no better excuse to stay in, hoard some snacks, and watch Friday the 13th than on the day the film’s plot takes place. Note: it’s also probably a good idea to invite some friends over so you can all get scared together rather than having to solo fight the paranoia that Jason is in your home.
2. Or you could actually let Friday the 13th under your skin by getting a $13 tattoo!
If you’re an avid tattoo collector, you know that Friday the 13th is a prime day to add some ink to your bod. Some tattoo shops offer $13 tattoos that you can choose off a flash poster. Others simply discount regular tattoos for the entire day. Do some Googling before the day is out to see if your local parlor offers this kind of event and give them a ring!
3. Use the stigma as an excuse to stay in and take a personal day.
No one is going to question you if you don’t want to make plans on Friday the 13th. You may receive an eye roll or two, but if you’re truly worried about getting into a Friday the 13th-induced sticky situation, then you have the right to opt out. Today is a great day to use that extra sick day you’ve been saving as a mental health day. If your gut is telling you to keep a low profile, then listen to it.
4. Remember, it’s all in our heads!
Okay, yes there’s proof that bad things in history have happened on Friday the 13th — a 13-year-old boy was struck by lightening on the fateful day in 2010. In 2009, the SAW ride at Thorpe Park was shut down due to a computer programming fault on its opening day. And even back in 1307, Philip IV of France arrested hundreds of the Knights Templar on Friday the 13th.
But think of all the bad stuff that has happened on days that are far from Friday the 13th! If there’s no scientific evidence proving that Friday the 13th is more dangerous than any other day, then maybe it’s safe to keep that rock climbing date.
