Brace Yourself: The Final Friday The 13th Of 2024 Is Here!
Language
Reading Level
Listen to Article
Alignment
For Taylor Swift fans, December 13, which falls on a Friday this year, will be a day of celebration. It is, after all, their beloved singer's 34th birthday. But for the millions who suffer from paraskevidekatriaphobia — the fear of Friday the 13th — it will be the unluckiest day of the year. The origins of this superstition remain unclear. However, experts have some theories.
The fear of Friday the 13th begins with the number 13 itself. Thomas Fernsler, an associate policy scientist at the University of Delaware, suggests the anxiety comes from the fact that 13 follows the "complete" number 12. There are 12 months in a year, 12 zodiac signs, 12 tribes of Israel, 12 apostles of Jesus, and so on. Hence, the number that follows is considered "incomplete" and, therefore, unlucky.
Donald Dossey, a folklore historian, traces the fear of 13 to a popular Scandinavian legend. According to the story, twelve gods were enjoying a peaceful dinner when Loki, the trickster Norse god, crashed the gathering. He convinced Hoder, the blind god of darkness, to kill Balder, the god of joy and gladness. Since then, the number 13 has been associated with misfortune.
Friday's bad reputation is believed to be rooted in religion. According to the Bible, Jesus was crucified on a Friday. The date was not the 13th. However, the execution occurred after the Last Supper, attended by Jesus and his 12 apostles. Judas Iscariot, the disciple said to have betrayed Jesus, was among them. Many biblical scholars maintain that Eve tempted Adam with the forbidden fruit on a Friday. The one historical event believed to have occurred on Friday the 13th is when Cain, the son of Adam and Eve, killed his brother, Abel.
Regardless of its origins, the fear of Friday the 13th is widespread. Experts estimate that over 20 million Americans — and many more worldwide — experience heightened anxiety on this day. Many people avoid going to work, traveling, or making big purchases on this day. Experts estimate that US businesses lose about $900 million every Friday the 13th.
For the adventurous, Friday the 13th could turn out to be surprisingly lucky. Retailers often offer big discounts to attract shoppers. So, take advantage and grab a bargain or two at your favorite stores this Friday.
Happy Friday the 13th!
Resources: Wikipedia.org, History.com, NPR.com
Get the Workbook for this article!
Workbook contains: Article, Reading Comprehension, Critical Thinking Questions, Vocabulary in Context (+ answers), Multiple Choice Quiz (+ answers), Parts of Speech Quiz (+ answers), Vocabulary Game (+ answers)Cite Article
Learn Keywords in this Article
25 Comments
- rywajedu-1726504826392 daysits cool but its not real
freerangekid2 daysWOW!!!
newsmp2 daysCool and strange! I don't believe in those stuff.
starlight-books3 daysMy aunt and uncle married on Friday the 13th, however, I still don’t believe in superstitious things!
naturelover593 daysIm not supersticious or scared of Friday the 13th. I just realized that a lockdown at my school happened on Thursday, the 12
clarcarn2 daysthat's so funny our's happened on Friday the 13th
dogo23irene3 daysCool but I don't believe in this stuff. I'm not superstitious and nothing bad happened to me.
grayson1235 daysIt's friday the 13th and no toast has been burned
xstr4wxb3rryx5 daysFriday the 13th is Taylor Swifts birthday and guess what? ALL THE GIRLS IN MY CLASS ARE SWIFTIES (except 2 of my finds and me) SO IM HEARING TAYLOR SWIFT MUSIC RN (1 like means one rip to me...)
haylena225 daysI don't get it, like nothing bad has happned today!
lukelande5 daysNothing to be afraid of I am not superstitious!
