There’s something about Friday the 13th that draws me in, something magnetic in the way it stirs up fear, superstition, and curiosity all at once. Maybe it’s because I was born on Friday the 13th, so I’ve always felt a personal connection to the day—one that transcends its spooky reputation. There’s a strange, enchanting allure to it, almost as if it were a day that celebrates the misfits and oddities of life. It makes me feel like I’m part of a select group, a club of people born under the shadow of superstition, carrying a little extra intrigue in our back pockets.
Interestingly, I share the same birthday as one of the greatest filmmakers in history, Alfred Hitchcock. He wasn’t born on Friday the 13th like me, but on August 13th. Still, the connection feels fitting. Hitchcock, the master of suspense, embodied everything mysterious and eerie, and in many ways, Friday the 13th has a similar effect on people. It’s a day where the line between the ordinary and the uncanny blurs, where fear of the unknown takes center stage, and where we can all indulge in a little thrill.
A Bit of History Behind Friday the 13th
Friday the 13th didn’t always have its sinister reputation. In fact, it wasn’t until the 19th century that it really began to take shape as the unluckiest day on the calendar. The superstition may have its roots in Christian theology—there were 13 guests at the Last Supper, and the crucifixion of Jesus is said to have taken place on a Friday. This combination of the number 13 and Friday slowly took on a life of its own, spreading through folklore and becoming a symbol of bad luck and misfortune.
As centuries passed, Friday the 13th became even more notorious. The Knights Templar were said to have been arrested on Friday, October 13, 1307, an event that’s been mythologized as one of the origins of the superstition. But it wasn’t until the 20th century, with the publication of Thomas W. Lawson’s Friday, the Thirteenth (1907) and the later success of the Friday the 13th horror film franchise, that the day truly cemented its place in pop culture as one of the most ominous dates on the calendar.
The Friday the 13th Movie Franchise: Why It Picked the Day
When it comes to the cultural significance of Friday the 13th, nothing has left a bigger mark than the movie franchise that adopted the name. The first Friday the 13th movie, released in 1980, wasn’t originally conceived with any deep attachment to the superstition surrounding the date. Instead, the filmmakers, led by producer and director Sean S. Cunningham, were looking for a title that would grab people’s attention. They needed something that sounded eerie, iconic, and instantly recognizable—and what better than a day already associated with fear and superstition?
The choice of Friday the 13th as the title for the film wasn’t just about tapping into the date’s superstitious reputation—it was also a marketing move. Cunningham famously took out an ad in Variety for the movie before even finishing the script, simply to see if the title would generate enough buzz. It did. The simple idea of horror unfolding on this unlucky day captured the imagination of the public, setting the stage for what would become one of the most successful horror franchises of all time.
The first film was a slasher classic, introducing the now-legendary Camp Crystal Lake and the vengeful Pamela Voorhees. It wasn’t until the sequel that her son, Jason, would become the main antagonist, eventually donning the iconic hockey mask and becoming one of the most recognizable villains in horror history. Over the years, Friday the 13th has spawned countless sequels, reboots, and spinoffs, making Jason Voorhees a symbol of terror synonymous with the day itself.
What People Do Across the Country on Friday the 13th
For some, Friday the 13th is just another day. But for others, it’s an opportunity to embrace the strange and unusual. Across the country, there are plenty of traditions and events that celebrate this infamous day. From haunted house tours to horror movie marathons, people use Friday the 13th as an excuse to indulge their inner thrill-seeker. Superstition runs deep—many refuse to fly or make big decisions, and tattoo parlors even offer special “Friday the 13th” deals, inking tiny symbols of luck or misfortune for thrill-seekers.
In some places, there are even entire festivals dedicated to the day. Camp Crystal Lake in New Jersey, the fictional setting for the Friday the 13th movie series, draws fans for tours and screenings, while horror conventions across the U.S. pull in large crowds for costume contests and spooky fun.
For me, Friday the 13th isn’t a day of dread—it’s a day to revel in life’s unpredictability, a celebration of the unexpected. Maybe that’s why I’m so drawn to it. It represents the unknown, the wonderfully weird, and the thrill of something different in a world that often feels too routine. Born on Friday the 13th and sharing a birthday with Hitchcock, I can’t help but feel like I’m part of the mystery, like I’m linked to something that exists just beyond the ordinary. And perhaps that’s part of the allure—celebrating a day, no matter how small or superstitious, adds a spark of excitement to life and breaks up the mundane. So, if you ever find yourself clutching a lucky charm on Friday the 13th, remember that for some of us, it’s not just a date to be feared—it’s a day to embrace with a grin, because it might just be the best day of the year.