Do you suffer from Paraskevidekatriaphobia or Triskaidekaphobia? Well this will no doubt be a difficult day for you if you do.

Paraskevidekatriaphobia is the fear of Friday the 13th and Triskaidekaphobia is the fear of the number 13, both of which occur today.

Will you remain safely tucked in your bed hiding under the covers, or will you man up and seize the day?

The superstitious history of this day is almost as mixed up as some of the superstitions that come with it. There is disagreement on when the good luck/bad luck concept came to be associated with Friday the 13th. Some contribute it to the arrest of the Knights Templar, while others believe it dates back to the telling of The Canterbury Tales. There is great agreement on the premise that the number 13 should be avoided at all costs.

The next time you are at a hotel, high-rise building, on a plane or anywhere with a high number of rooms or seats, check to see if there is a number 13 included. Most hotels will not have a 13 room and many sky scrapers skip the 13th floor all together. Airplanes and airport gates also skip the number 13, as do some seats in theaters.

According to Dr. Donald Dossey, author and founder of the Stress Management Center/Phobia Institute, up to 21 million Americans fear Friday the 13th. He also said much money would be lost in business because people refused to shop, travel or take risks on this day. Symptions of this fear range from mild anxiety and a nagging sense of doom to full-blown panic attacts.

Make Friends With Your Fears ~ Insurance or Good Omens

Four-Leaf Clover
A common good luck symbol, and good luck finding one! The supposed probability of finding 1 of these is 1 in 10,000. Most importantly, it is said this clover will work particularly well if found “by accident”. As legend has it,   each leaf represents a specific thing: the first is for fame, the second is for wealth, the third is for love and the fourth is for health.

 Jennifer Meyers fashions these lucky four leaf clover key chains that might be worth a try.

Rabbit Foot
Have you have ever carried a “lucky rabbit’s foot”  Did you purchase that rodent part from a store? Ooops, if it didn’t bring the anticipated luck, there is a little more to it.  The rabbit must be killed in a certain place or by a certain person, under ideal circumstances.

Ensuring proper methods to get your desired luck are:

  • Must be the rabbits left hind foot
  • Must be killed in a cemetery
  • The moon phase is important, either the full or new moon
  • The foot must be taken on Friday the 13th, or using a silver bullet  

Yamarilet Pacheco of  etco makes the Lucky Rabbit Foot Necklace. You’ll have to get the nitty gritty how lucky details from her.

Celebrate your luck on Friday the 13th at Totally Kids fun furniture & toys!

Take 13% OFF anything offered in the store or online! That luck runs through Sunday the 15th.