Today is Friday the 13th! A day where many superstitious people stay home in hopes of avoiding any sort of bad luck. I’m guilty of being the kind of person who believes in “bad luck” and every other superstition that comes with Friday the 13th.

In honor of one of the unluckiest days of the year here is a list of the top 13 superstitions and how you can rid yourself of bad luck if you come across the bad ones!

1. Bad luck to open an umbrella inside- When an umbrella is opened inside, it prevents the sun god from offering rays to us.
   *How to save yourself: Simple….just don’t open the umbrella inside!
2. Cross your fingers- Those wishing for luck will often cross one finger over another, a gesture that’s said to date back to early Christianity. The story goes that two people used to cross index fingers when making a wish, a symbol of support from a friend to the person making the wish. (Anything associated with the shape of the Christian cross was thought to be good luck.)
3. Bad luck comes in 3- A couple things go wrong, and believers may start to look for the next bit of bad luck. Also, many people believe that death comes in three’s as well. For example; a celebrity dies and soon after two more will pass away. A lost shoe might be forgotten one day, but seen as the third in a series of bad breaks the next.
   *How to save yourself: Have no friends and stay in doors at all time!
4. Find a penny pick it up- And all day long, you’ll have good luck. This little ditty may arise because finding money is lucky in and of itself.
5. Bird flies into your window, death is knockin’ at your door- Birds throughout history are often seen as messengers of bad omens.
   *How to save yourself: Don’t live near or around tree’s where birds can nest…..Or maybe we should probably worry more about the bird. Poor thing.
6. 66- Three sixes in a row give some people the chills. It’s a superstition that dates back to the Bible. In the Book of Revelation, 666 is given as the number of the “beast,” and is often interpreted as the mark of Satan and a sign of the end times.
   *How to save yourself: Stay away from the number 6 all together!! And don’t listen to Three 6 Mafia music!!
7. Spilling salt- In the past, salt was an expensive luxury and spilling it violated the good fortune and luck brought on by the salt.
   *How to save yourself: Throw a pinch over your left shoulder and hit the devil square in the eye.
8. Step on a crack, break your mothers back- Interestingly enough, the original rhyme was “Step on a crack and your mother will turn black.” Over time the rhyme changed into what it is today.
   *How to save yourself: Never walk. ANYWHERE.
9. Bird dropping as a sign of good luck? Although the thought of any animal pooping on you may seem gross and far from luck, in many countries a bird pooping on you or your property is a sign of good luck and possible future riches. So you might want to look at the potential benefits the next time a bird mistakes you for a walking poo target.
10. Breaking a mirror cause you to have seven years of bad luck- A mirror not only contains a persons image, but also their soul.
    *How to save yourself: After seven hours have passed, bury the pieces of the mirror in the moonlight.
11. Black cats bring bad luck- One theory is that cats close association with Egyptian religion put many Christians on edge. Aside from that, cats are thought to be sly, mischievous animals.
    *How to save yourself: Have the cat walk towards you, that’s good luck.
12. Walking under a ladder will bring you bad luck- When leaning against a wall, a ladder forms a triangle that represents the holy trinity. When you walk underneath it, you insult god.
    *How to save yourself: Simple. Just put it in reverse and back your way through the ladder again. Clearly this will undo what just happened, right?
13. Friday the 13th- In the bible, Judas was the 13th guest to the Last Supper. Additionally, in Roman lore witches were believed to gather in groups of 12. The 13th member of their group? The devil. Giving people a reason to believe that the number 13 is associated with the devil!
    *How to save yourself: Stay lucky and buy rabbit feet. Lots of rabbit feet. Or stay home on the 13th of ANY day!

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