Friday The 13th Little Known Facts

Friday the 13th, a day dreaded by many around the world but also a day many look forward to. Superstitions tend to run wild on this day whether good or bad. Below, check out 13 facts about Friday the 13th and let us know in the comments section some of your Friday the 13th superstitions!

  

1. First, it's not that rare. It happens at least once a year and as many as three times. December 13, 2013 marks the second of the year. There's only one in 2014 but three in 2015.

2. The 1980 film "Friday the 13th" grossed nearly $40 million during its initial run in theatres, according to information from the Internet Movie Database.

3. Fear of the number 13 is known as triskaidekaphobia, while fear of Friday the 13th is known as paraskavedekatriaphobia.

4. The mini market crash of Friday, Oct. 13, 1989 was the second largest drop of the Dow history.

5. 21 million Americans fear Friday the 13th, according to information from About.com.

6. People in Spanish-speaking nations fear Tuesday the 13th, according to information from The Huffington Post.

7. NASA was almost tragically unlucky with its Apollo 13 mission. The capsule was launched at 13:13 on April 11, 1970. The explosion that ultimately destroyed the craft took place on April 13, which was a Monday.

8. The ancient Chinese regarded the number 13 as lucky. The ancient Egyptians also thought 13 brought good luck.

9. Tattoo parlors around the country offer specials for those who chose to commemorate the day permanently, traditionally offering tats of the number 13 for only $13.

10. President Franklin D. Roosevelt apparently suffered from triskaidekaphobia. He refused to travel on the 13th day of any month and would not host a dinner party with 13 guests.

11. Worried about being in an accident on Friday the 13th? The risk of being in a car crash on any Friday is higher than other days of the week. Police attribute this fact to alcohol consumption.

12. Some people believe the fear of Friday the 13th goes back to the Garden of Eden. Supposedly Eve offered Adam the forbidden fruit on a Friday, and they were then ejected from Paradise.

13. Want to avoid bad luck on Friday the 13th? There are a number of things you can do to ward off ill fate, according to superstition: Touch wood, cross your fingers, avoid black cats, don't look at the full moon through a pane of glass, and throw salt over each shoulder.