Friday Fun Facts for Friday the 13th!
Are you superstitious?? Friday the 13th is one of the most widely recognized superstitions worldwide. Friday the 13th potentially gets its bad rep from a few ancient sources, including a Norse myth, in which beloved deity Balder the Beautiful was shot with a poisoned arrow by the 13th guest at a Friday dinner party of the gods. Another ancient story comes from the Christian Bible, which indicates that Cain killed his brother Abel on Friday the 13th. (read more history here)
Just a few more fun facts:
- Even in something as literally brick and mortar as real estate, there are still plenty of superstitions floating around the number 13. Many high-rise condo builders skip the 13th floor entirely. Even though research shows most people don’t believe the number 13 is unlucky, less than 5 percent of high-rise condo buildings in New York City have a 13th floor, according to a recent report in the Wall Street Journal. The floors instead jump from 12 to 14. (Forbes.com 9/13/13)
- 17-21 Million people in the United States have some level of phobia about Friday the 13th, resulting in a loss of $800-900 MILLION in lost business on this day due to consumer aversion to travel and large purchases, such as homes, on this day. (realestate.aol.com 1/13/12)
- Truly creepy: The Friday the 13th movies have grossed more than $380 million
- According to some folklore, one way to avoid the bad luck associated with Friday the 13th is to climb to the top of a mountain or tall building and burn all your socks that have holes in them.
Hope your Friday the 13th is full of good luck and good health. Have a great weekend!!