The infamous day, Friday the 13th, is almost here and during the spookiest time of year.
In the same way that many people avoid walking under a ladder, breaking a mirror or even crossing paths with a black cat, those who consider themselves to be superstitious (or even just a little 'stitious') may be holding their breath this Friday.
What is the origin of Friday the 13th?
Why are we so wary on Friday the 13th? According to History.com there is a long history of the number being considered bad luck.
It’s unknown when exactly the superstitions began around the number 13, but they have existed for centuries.
The number 12 has been considered by Western cultures to be a perfect number so 13 has been known to be an unsettling number. There also may be some ties to Christianity and Norse mythology because at both the Last Supper and a dinner party in Valhalla, the 13th guest betrays the host.
Has anything bad happened on Friday the 13th before?
Historically there have been a few instances of bad things happening on Friday the 13th. From natural disasters to murder.
Some people are so scared of the number 13 that it has its own phobia. Triskaidekaphobia (sounds like tris·kai·dek·a·pho·bi·a) is the fear of the number 13 and the fear of Friday the 13th also has a phobia, paraskevidekatriaphobia (sounds like para·skevi·deka·tria·pho·bia).
Many tattoo shops like to participate in the Friday the 13th fun by hosting flash sales, where you can choose from specific sheets of tattoos for the day at a discounted price (usually the number plays into the theme as well).
Be sure to check out your local tattoo shops to see if they have any deals.
13 is Taylor Swift's lucky number
Now if you’re a Swiftie, you might not so be so scared of the number 13. While many think seeing the number 13 is a sign of bad luck, Taylor Swift has claimed the number to be her lucky number for years. Her birthday even falls on the 13th of December (but she wasn't born on a Friday).
You see, 13 is her lucky number (and she was also born on the 13th) but apparently it's not symbolic enough to get it inked permanently. It turns out the 13 on her hand has always been washable, though it's reappeared time and time again.
"I don't think I could ever commit to something permanent." She then explained that if she were to get something, it would be of her lucky number 13, before declaring once more, "I just don't want to get a tattoo."
Her birthday even falls on the 13th of December (but she wasn't born on a Friday). So it was no surprise to Swifties that she chose Friday the 13th as the release date for her long-awaited concert film, Taylor Swift The Eras Tour. It will be opening in local theaters on Friday.
She said: "The significance of the number 13 on my hand ... I paint this on my hand before every show because 13 is my lucky number; for a lot of reasons. It's really weird. "I was born on the 13th, I turned 13 on Friday the 13th, my first album went gold in 13 weeks.
The number 13 has had a special significance in Swift's career through the years. As she previously explained to MTV News, "I was born on the 13th.I turned 13 on Friday the 13th.My first album went gold in 13 weeks.
The Shape of Water. Swift has sung the praises of director Guillermo Del Toro, citing The Shape of Water as "one of her favorite films ever." The movie, which stars Sally Hawkins and Doug Jones, follows the love story of a mute janitor and an amphibian creature.
She has 12 publicly-known exes. Here is more about each one. According to Elle, Swift dated Joe Jonas in 2008, but their relationship only lasted a couple of months. Later, Swift revealed that Jonas broke up with her on a 25-second phone call and it served as an inspiration for her album, “Fearless.”
The MS 13, also sometimes seen just as MS or 13, is a symbol of the Mara Salvatrucha gang from El Salvador. Typically these tattoos can be found anywhere on the body, but are most often found in highly visible places like the face, hands or neck.
Final answer: Taylor Swift writes the number 13 on her left hand, which is associated with her personal superstitions or rituals related to her performances.
The number 13 is unlucky for many western people, so much so that some buildings will not have a 13th floor. However, the number 13 isn't unlucky for everyone; in fact, some countries think the number 13 is lucky! Many other numbers are considered unlucky around the world for various reasons.
Taylor Swift Just Got Four New Piercings & They Look Surprisingly Edgy. Spotted by paparazzi on one of her studio walks, Taylor Swift's new ear piercings are a delightfully unexpected addition to her everyday look.
Introduction: My name is Terrell Hackett, I am a gleaming, brainy, courageous, helpful, healthy, cooperative, graceful person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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