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It’s Friday the 13th again! Anyone see any black cats? Walk under any ladders? I don’t really subscribe to the theory that Friday the 13th is unluckier than any other day, but superstitious people may have good reason to stay in bed on days like today. Here are 10 reasons the number 13 is unlucky.
1. There were 13 people at the Last Supper. It’s said that Judas Iscariot – the one who betrayed Jesus – was the 13th man to take his place at the table.
2. Similarly, there’s a Norse legend that has 12 gods sitting down to a banquet when the 13th (uninvited) god, Loki, showed up. Loki killed one of the other gods, which led to events that eventually resulted in Ragnarök – the death of a bunch of gods, a slew of natural disasters, and the eradication of everything on earth save for two human survivors. There’s a lot more to the story than that, but you get the general idea.
3. Traditionally there used to be 13 steps leading up the gallows. There’s also a legend that a hangman’s noose traditionally contained 13 turns, but it’s actually more like eight.
4. Apollo 13 is the only unsuccessful moon mission (intended to get men on the moon, anyway) thus far. An oxygen tank exploded and the survival of the astronauts on board was pretty touch-and-go for several days, but they did all come home safely in the end (but you already knew that).
5. There was a mass arrest and execution of the Knights Templar on Friday, October 13, 1307.
6. According to Mr. Krabs on Spongebob Squarepants, there are 13 dirty words. Squidward must be a George Carlin fan, because he responded with “I thought there were only seven?” “Not if you’re a sailor,” Mr. Krabs replied.
7. Although a “coven” is now just considered to be a group of witches (or vampires, if you’re into a certain young adult series about vampires), it was once believed that a coven was made up of exactly 13 members.
8. There’s an old superstition that says if you have 13 letters in your name, you’re bound to have the “devil’s luck.” Silly, yes, but slightly more convincing when you consider that Charles Manson, Jack the Ripper, Jeffrey Dahmer, Theodore Bundy and Albert De Salvo all contain 13 letters (I know, I know, what about their middle names?).
9. Kids officially become teenagers at the age of 13, and we all know that’s a scary phase.
10. In numerology, the number 12 is considered to be the representation of perfection and completion. So it stands to reason that trying to improve upon perfection by adding one is a very bad idea indeed – your greed will be rewarded with bad luck.
And here’s a bonus fact for you today. In the late 1800s existed a group called The Thirteen Club. Their purpose was to debunk the legend that 13 people at a table would result in the death of one of them within a year. They met on the 13th of the month and had dinner 13 people to a table, and to make matters worse, they purposely spilled salt on the table without throwing it over their shoulders. The horror! They also fined members who showed up late – 13 cents, of course. Members of the 13 Club included five U.S. presidents – Benjamin Harrison, Grover Cleveland, William McKinley, Theodore Roosevelt and Chester A. Arthur. I’m not sure if it’s worth noting that two of these presidents were shot – one fatally, of course – but I’ll mention it anyway. And, if you’re keeping track, Chester A. Arthur only became president because he was vice when Garfield was assassinated.
Be careful this evening, _flossers! If you find yourself at dinner this evening and notice that there’s a baker’s dozen of you at the table, keep your eyes peeled for assassins. And for goodness’ sake, don’t knock the salt shaker over.
Comments (36)
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My husband has found that if he holds on to anything that has been dubbed as lucky, he will have horrible, horrible luck. Someone gave him a key which they said would bring him great luck. He put it in his pocket. The next day, he wrecked his motorbike. The day after, he wrecked a bicycle.
Since then, he’s embraced all things unlucky. 13 is his favorite number.
posted by Pearl on 11-13-2009 at 3:56 pm
Crap, my name is 13 letters…that explains my luck (or lack thereof) thus far in life
posted by gussiebuns on 11-13-2009 at 4:12 pm
Oooooo… I just realized my name is also 13 letters.
I’ve always been pretty lucky, though. I’ve one oodles of radio contests and won a contest involving guessing the number of beads in a jar (I think I guessed 1680, and it was 1705).
My mom has called me “Lucky Lyndsay” since I was a tot.
posted by Pearl on 11-13-2009 at 4:24 pm
Oooooo… I just realized my name is also 13 letters.
I’ve always been pretty lucky, though. I’ve won oodles of radio contests and won a contest involving guessing the number of beads in a jar (I think I guessed 1680, and it was 1705).
My mom has called me “Lucky Lyndsay” since I was a tot.
posted by Pearl on 11-13-2009 at 4:24 pm
Whoa, my name is 13 letters, too. It’s my married name, though, so maybe it doesn’t count. That’s what I’d like to think, anyway.
posted by Kelsey on 11-13-2009 at 4:38 pm
My mom’s birthday is today (and yes, it was also on a Friday, in 1964), and she refuses to believe that Friday the 13th is unlucky.
posted by Krie on 11-13-2009 at 4:46 pm
@ Pearl
Forget luck, I’m thinking that your husband should just avoid two-wheeled vehicles…
posted by Dagger on 11-13-2009 at 5:06 pm
13 is my favorite number! I try to get it on my jersey for all my sports. But of course i wear my lucky spongebob underwear to offset 13s unluckyness
posted by ufluffed on 11-13-2009 at 5:31 pm
Crud! I have 13 letters in my name, too! Maybe that explains why I am so accident prone… (She writes as her wrist is in a brace and she has band-aids on 4 of her fingers…)
posted by Karen on 11-13-2009 at 5:50 pm
Crap – I just realized that (not counting my middle name) I have thirteen letters in my name as well!
No wonder I’ve been prone to accidents…
reCaptcha – perjure individual
posted by Steve from San Diego on 11-13-2009 at 6:00 pm
Crust… 13 letters in my name, too. Maiden, and married names…
posted by Vickey on 11-13-2009 at 6:28 pm
shoot my first and last name equal 13 letters, and like others who have posted before me, i’m VERY unlucky and accident prone!
posted by taytay on 11-13-2009 at 6:32 pm
Man. I have 13 letters in my name too! Maybe that’s why I’m so clumsy.
posted by Jess on 11-13-2009 at 7:21 pm
my teacher today put a ladder over his door so everyone ahd to walk through it
and then in every class period he did a tons of unlucky things
posted by Allison on 11-13-2009 at 7:30 pm
I have 13 letters in my name (minus middle name) and other people consider me good luck. None for myself though. When I was a kid, my dad would take me to a store owned by a friend that sold lottery tickets. He’d charge customers $1 to touch my head for good luck. Lots of winners. Also, after seeing me, my uncle won a speed boat and my other uncle won a new truck. Both only bought one ticket in the draws too. I really wish I could save some luck for myself. The only thing I’ve won was tickets to see Ralph Nader.
posted by Lola on 11-13-2009 at 8:40 pm
Jack the Ripper has 13 letters in his name? C’mon, that wasn’t his ACTUAL name…
posted by Dane on 11-13-2009 at 9:42 pm
@ Lola, i’ve heard that rubbing a lottery ticket on children’s heads is good luck. I remember once when i was little, a lady won after rubbing a ticket on my head and she gave me a stick of gum as a reward.
Also, i don’t think the number of letters in one’s name is good or bad luck. I don’t have thirteen letters in my name and i’m really clumsy too.
posted by Kagami on 11-13-2009 at 9:56 pm
“The only thing I’ve won was tickets to see Ralph Nader.”
And that is very unlucky indeed Lola.
posted by roi_ratt on 11-13-2009 at 10:02 pm
My 13th birthday was on friday the 13th and I graduate in 2013 YAY
posted by Caroline on 11-14-2009 at 12:06 am
I also have 13 letters in my name, yet I always have good luck on Friday the 13th, odd…
posted by Carly on 11-14-2009 at 1:30 am
You should have put 13 reasons why 13 is unlucky.
posted by Karl on 11-14-2009 at 3:28 am
I have thirteen letters in my name, if you add up my first + last..and I never even realized it…but I’m pretty sure my luck isn’t all messed up because 1)I have my health (more or less..), 2)I have roof over my head, and 3)I have my loved ones still alive. Plus I do have a legal middle name, which kinda null and voids the 13 letters. Also in the Jewish religon the number 13 tends to be considered good luck (the whole Bar Mitzvah thing).
posted by Alexandra on 11-14-2009 at 8:32 am
funny how so many peoples names are 13 letters.
reCap: 17 bruises
posted by karina mccarty on 11-14-2009 at 1:15 pm
You should also note that all of the members of The Thirteen Club have since died. All of them. Coincidence? I don’t think so.
posted by Old Geezer on 11-14-2009 at 2:25 pm
I was born on the 13th..and just realized that my first+last name equals 13 letters
posted by L.Bones on 11-14-2009 at 6:26 pm
The comment about there being 13 at the Last Supper doesn’t really make sense. Jesus had 12 disciples for three years, not just at the Last Supper.
posted by plousia on 11-14-2009 at 7:18 pm
I have 18 letters in my name and I’m the unluckiest and clumsiest and most freak accident prone most people I know have ever heard of!!!! I actually tend to have good luck on Friday the 13th but now that I said that they will probably suck from here on out.
ReCaptcha: five batsman
I love Batman!! Close enough *shrugs*
posted by KillerQueen11 on 11-15-2009 at 3:55 am
@Kagami
She won the lottery and only gave you a stick of gum?
posted by Tdl on 11-15-2009 at 6:26 pm
I don’t think the Last Supper should be considered an unlucky event. Judas had to betray Jesus in order to fulfill God’s plan. Jesus was crucified to pay the penalty for our sins. If he never died, we would all still be prisoners of sin.
posted by Chris R.O.C. on 11-15-2009 at 11:03 pm
My full name has 21 letters, and 7 in each name! So I guess I’m lucky.
Also three of the presidents you mentioned were shot, Theodore Roosevelt, McKinley and Garfield and two died from from it.
posted by MPW on 11-16-2009 at 5:43 am
ha! my name also has thirteen letters in it.
posted by CH on 11-16-2009 at 9:52 am
If we ever have another hurricane hit on Friday the 13th, I’m outa here. Charlie was the worst we had had in this part of Florida in 40 years when he struck on Friday, August 13, 2004.
recaptcha Manhattan downer
posted by Mary on 11-16-2009 at 11:49 am
Is that from the Sailor Mouth episode of Spongebob? I’ve only ever seen highlights from that. We’ve been looking for that episode for a couple of months now with no luck. As often as they air that show you’d think by now we’d have caught it. I wonder if it was banned?
posted by crocostimpy on 11-16-2009 at 1:16 pm
thirteen letters in MY name, too! (excluding middle, of course).
and @OldGeezer, hysterical. I smell a conspiracy…
posted by OkieMelissa on 11-16-2009 at 2:17 pm
@Dane, I was thinking the exact same thing. Plus to all of those that posted they had 13 letters in their name and also had terrible luck hopefully none of you are serial killers as were all of those mentioned in the article. I have 13 letter in my name (excluding middle) and I have no current plans to become a serial killer.
posted by Brit on 11-16-2009 at 3:39 pm
I have 11 letters in my married name, and eight in my maiden name, but I am the clumsiest person I know. I always have an injury, from a scratch to a broken bone.
RC: resurrection snapping
I would snap if I were resurrected!
posted by gckittehmom on 11-16-2009 at 7:42 pm