Superstition
3 Old Wives’ Tales About Babies Who Are Born On Friday The 13th
It’s not your unlucky day, that’s for sure.
There’s no doubt you’ve heard the superstitions and spooky vibes surrounding the supposedly unlucky date of Friday the 13th. And if you’re pregnant and due on that date (or around it, considering babies come on their own timeline), it’s crossed your mind what it means if your baby is born on Friday the 13th. The concept that this day somehow causes a person to incur bad fortune has permeated pop culture so much, and there are even some old wives’ tales about babies born on Friday the 13th. Sure, there’s also that whole movie franchise that makes the birthday seem a little spooky, but maybe being born on this “cursed” date might not be so terrible.
Deep down, your baby’s birthday is just their birthday. (And the fun thing about a 13th date means that it won’t always be on Friday the 13th.) But there's plenty of folklore that used to link unexplained events or natural phenomenon with a person's actions or a certain date. Many of these long-held beliefs have since been debunked by modern science, but it's interesting how these old wives’ tales about babies born on Friday the 13th and superstitions tend to hold meaning even today. Plus, it’s just a little bit fun to learn about. Maybe it's because everyone loves a good mystery — and nothing is as mysterious or miraculous as giving birth. So, no matter where your personal beliefs land on the matter, you can discover some of the more odd myths (and their origins) about babies born on Friday the 13th.
1Babies born on Friday the 13th might actually have good luck.
The concept of coordinating a specific act (such as, step on a crack) with a specific outcome (break your mother's back) is nothing new in the old wives’ tale world. Still, it's interesting to learn about how previous generations had a superstition for just about anything — down to how you dress a newborn. For example, in the 1903 second volume of the Encyclopaedia of Superstitions, Folklore, and the Occult Sciences of the World, it's noted that a baby born on a Friday will have good luck — but only if it is put into new clothes. Though the origins are a bit murky, the explanation could be as simple as wanting to dress your child in something special and new on the day they're born.
2Babies born on Friday the 13th could be a bit of a hot mess.
Thirteen is considered an unlucky number, and has been for a long time. It’s traditionally associated with chaos and disorder, and has negative biblical connotations. Perhaps your newborn will be a bit of a chaos agent, themselves.
3Babies born on Friday the 13th are also total sweethearts.
As it turns out, taking quizzes to decide what a random thing says about your personality has been around much longer than the internet has. There is a well-known rhyme that matches your child's day of birth to a specific trait or characteristic that's been around in various incarnations throughout the ages. Although people typically associate Friday with being unlucky, in Traditions, Legends, Superstitions, and Sketches of Devonshire, a 16th century birth fortune noted, "Friday's child is loving and giving," and mentioned nothing of ill fortune.
If your baby is born on Friday the 13th, they’re probably going to be just wonderful. And, though we have no real expertise in your particular baby, neither did the “old wives,” so you might as well put as much stock in our opinion as theirs.
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