Friday the 13th – the day when perfectly rational people start tiptoeing around like they’re extras in a horror movie. You might laugh, but deep down, there’s a part of you wondering if it’s really that absurd to avoid black cats or second-guess your decision to walk under a ladder. Or is it just me?

Today is Friday the 13th, a day that feels like it carries its own atmospheric soundtrack — a bit eerie, a bit suspenseful, with just the right amount of creepy violin screech in the background. You know, like the kind that plays when you accidentally knock over the salt shaker and spill exactly 13 grains. Coincidence? Maybe. But what if?

For those of you not entirely sure what all the fuss is about, let me introduce you to your new favourite tongue twister: paraskevidekatriaphobia. No, it’s not a new kind of pasta dish, though I wouldn’t be surprised if an Italian chef decided to name a spooky linguine special after today. Paraskevidekatriaphobia is the official term for the fear of Friday the 13th. The term is based on the Greek words paraskevi (Friday) and dekatria (thirteen) with -phobia as a suffix to indicate ‘fear’. So say it all together:  para-skev-EE-dek-a-tri-a-pho-bia. 🙂

It’s a mouthful, sure, but once you master it, according to the good Dr. Donald E. Dossey (who coined the term), you’ll be cured. Kind of like how eating garlic wards off vampires. Maybe.

Now, for all you folklore enthusiasts out there, this fear might have roots in religious history. Thirteen people at the Last Supper, and the next day, Jesus was crucified. That’s two unlucky strikes right there. Then there’s Norse mythology, where Loki (yep, Thor’s mischievous brother) crashes a dinner party as the 13th guest and chaos ensues. So, it seems people were terrified of uninvited dinner guests long before your cousin who never RSVPs became a thing.

But here’s where things get tricky — not all cultures agree on Friday the 13th being the spooky day to fear. In Italy, they’ve decided that Friday the 17th is the day to batten down the hatches. Meanwhile, Greeks and many in the Spanish-speaking world are side-eyeing Tuesdays the 13th, which might explain why they look at us funny when we panic today. To them, Friday the 13th is just a regular day to have coffee and think, “What’s wrong with you people?”

Fun fact: every time a month starts with a Sunday, you’ll find a Friday the 13th lurking in the calendar, like a hidden ghost. Some years have up to three. But don’t worry, 2024 is feeling generous — we only get one. So take a deep breath, but not too deep, because, you know, it’s Friday the 13th.

Here’s the thing: whether you believe in the bad juju of the day or not, there’s one thing we can all agree on. Friday the 13th is just a sneaky reminder that the weekend is almost here! (Though, if you live in the Middle East, the weekend started today, and the rest of us are definitely jealous.)

So as we all tiptoe around avoiding cracked mirrors, let’s remember that today’s greatest threat might not be the number 13, but rather the inexplicable urge to jinx ourselves with “nothing can possibly go wrong.”