January 13, 2023 is a Friday. Do you find that creepy? Some people do. Some people think bad things will happen on Friday the 13th.

Thinking that Friday the 13th brings bad luck is a superstition. That is a belief that bad things will happen even if there’s no reason for it. You might have heard of other superstitions too.

Trying not to step on a sidewalk crack is a superstition. So is not wanting to open an umbrella in the house. None of these actions will really bring bad luck. But sometimes if you are looking for bad luck you will find it.

How did people come to link Friday the 13th with bad luck? It might have to do with the number 13. Some people say that 13 represents the unknown. That’s because a lot of things, like months of the year or inches in a foot, end at 12.

The superstition also might be related to Friday. In the Bible, a lot of bad things happened on Friday. So Christian people may think that Friday is an unlucky day.

Believing that Friday the 13th is unlucky is pretty common in the United States. But other countries have different beliefs. In Spain, Tuesday the 13th is the day to beware. In Italy, it’s the 17th of the month.

Sometimes people are so worried about the number 13 that they skip it. Many buildings do not have a 13th floor. Unfortunately you can’t skip over Friday the 13th. You will have to live through two or three every year, no matter if you’re afraid or not!