News
For those who fear bad luck (or just pay close attention to the calendar), you know that today is Friday the 13th. To many, this is just an ordinary day that has given birth to some silly Friday the 13th superstitions. But for the 17 to 21 million Americans who suffer from friggatriskaidekaphobia — a phobia of Friday the 13th — today is the worst day of the year. In fact, Donald Dossey, founder of the Stress Management Center and Phobia Institute, told National Geographic that $800 to $900 million is lost in business on Friday the 13th, as people are to scared to leave the house and shop as they normally would.
Even if your fears aren't as deep at thfriggatriskaidekaphobics, you still may hold some superstitions about Friday the 13th. And although you may run the other way when you come across a black cat, there are some other, more regular rituals that could lead to bad luck today. So take a moment to learn about the some daily rituals that may you may want to leave out of your routine on Friday the 13th.
1
Breaking Mirrors
Now smashing mirrors may not be a part of your every day routine, but you should be extra careful around them today, as Discovery News notes that breaking mirrors can lead to bad luck — seven years of it to be exact.
2
Getting A Trim
Skip the salon today. Rumor has it getting a haircut on Friday the 13th can kill a family member. Surely you can go an extra week with unruly hair to save someone's life?
3
Opening Umbrellas
If you need protection from the rain, open your umbrella outside. Thought to welcome bad luck into your home, an old superstition cautions against any open umbrellas inside.
4
Walking Beneath The Moon
Particularly with your SO. According to ancient folklore, the moon was thought to be unreliable, and any provolimations of love made beneath it are just as untrustworthy.
5
Crooked Silverware
Crossing your silverware on Friday the 13, or any other day, is thought to welcome bad luck. This symbol of hard times ahead, is maybe more of a question of etiquette, but the superstitious avoid it nonetheless.
Images: RobertCouse-Baker/Flickr; Giphy (5)
