What’s the Deal with Superstitions?

Posted on May 13, 2016

Friday the 13^th is today (eek!) which we understand as a day of bad luck. I know personally, that on this day, I am constantly watching to not step on the cracks in the sidewalk. If I see a black cat, I am totally running in the opposite direction. But where did Friday the 13^th and other superstitions like this come from? I decided to give myself a little history lesson and explore some of the most common ones and see what it all means!

Friday the 13^th

The origination of the connection of this day to bad luck is still not 100% clear, however, many have connected it back to the times of the Last Supper. Many people have linked it to Jesus’ Last Supper and his crucifixion, because there were 13 men in the room on Thursday, the day before Jesus died (Good Friday). Since then, there have been uses of Friday the 13^th in scary movies, early novels, and more, which have continued the spread of the thought of it being bad luck.

I think we all have heard of the Friday the 13^th franchise, which has grown to include movies, television, comics, books, and even their own merchandise. Did you know that the films alone have made over $465 million? All because the superstition exists!

Here’s a few more interesting facts about Friday the 13^th:

• Friday the 13^th is the most feared day/date in history.
• An estimated $900 million is lost in the airline industry on this day due to the notion of it being bad luck
• Fear of this day is so prevalent that is has a name: paraskevidekatriaphobia.

Black Cats

Having a black cat cross your path has always been known to me as a sign that something bad is going to happen to you. But how did these cute kitties become a thing to fear? This fear started in the Middle Ages with the rise of the fear of witches. Witches, thought to dress in all black, were thought to transform into black cats so they could roam the streets without being discovered. Also, black comes into association here because witches were often thought to be practicing “black magic”.

This fear was on the rise in the United States, and hit an all time high during the Salem Witch Trials. Even today, the black cat is still used as a symbol of fear being very popularly used in Halloween decorations, for example.

Break a Mirror? 7 Years of Bad Luck for You

This superstition existed long before the mirror, believe it or not! Before mirrors were invented, people used other reflective things for the same purpose, which included bodies of water, pools, or even bowls/dishes that were reflective. It was believed that that time that if your reflection was distorted in any way that something bad would happen to that person.

Once the mirror was invented, 7 years came into play because if a Roman’s servant broke a mirror while cleaning, the punishment was 7 years of servitude. Also contributing to this is the Roman idea that each person’s body goes through a “physical regeneration” every 7 years. So when you broke a mirror, it symbolized the idea that the person’s health and soul were broken.

These are just a few of the most common superstitions, here are some more you may even practice yourself:

-Walking under a ladder

-Step on a crack, you’ll break your mom’s back

-Picking up penny’s with the heads up only

-Bad things happen in sets of 3

-A bride seeing her groom before she walks down the aisle

-666

No matter what you believe, have a safe and fun Friday (even if it is Friday the 13th!)