Friday the 13th

If you happen to be superstitious, then today will either bring you plenty of good luck --- or enough bad luck to make you want to hole up and hide in a cave. There is at least one Friday the 13th every year, but this year is unusual because there are three. The first occurred in February, the second in March and now today. The occurrence of three will not happen again until 2015.

Most people in Western society know that the number 13 is considered unlucky. Like most folklore, there is no definitive reason for this fear, but this superstition has appeared throughout ancient history and has been attributed to the Norse, the Last Supper and the Knights Templar. Have you ever noticed that many buildings, particularly hotels, do not have a 13th floor? Many cities don’t have a 13th street, a number of airlines skip row 13 all together, and you won’t find a “room 13” in most hospitals. Even President Franklin D. Roosevelt refused to travel on the 13th day of any month.

Similarly, Friday itself is also considered to be unlucky. Historically, it’s bad luck to start a trip or sail a ship on Friday, give birth, move or start a new job. So it makes sense that many cultures have linked Friday and the number 13 to a very unlucky day.

So how about you – is Friday 13th a good or bad luck day for you? Are there any other superstitions that get to you?

Halloween

I can’t believe that Halloween is only a day away! I truly love Halloween, which might explain why my yard has been flashing strobe lights and pumping out spooky fog every night since late-August (our dry ice bills are through the roof!). It might also explain why I’ve been rocking out to the “Monster Mash” three times a day for the last month. But even among the best of us holiday decorators, sometimes things get overlooked. Like a costume, for example -- I just realized I still don’t have one for this year!

Now, I’ve gone the rental route before, but to tell you the truth I prefer to make my own costumes. And some of my best costume ideas have actually come at the very last minute. So that’s the plan, I’m going to check and see what I already have at home and use my imagination. And you can do the same: if you find yourself stuck for a costume idea, try improvising with what you have around the house. Or maybe head to a local thrift store and see what inspires you.

Another thing that often gets overlooked until the last minute (usually) is carving a pumpkin. For years I found myself carving the same old boring, triangle-eyed jack-o-lantern … that is until I got on the internet and did a little research. Turns out, there are lots of great carving ideas that you yourself can do with a little patience and some guidance (no, really!). And the best part is that most of them are free!

Now, as much fun as Halloween is for adults, it’s really about the kids. To avoid incident, be sure to follow the advice of these safety experts.

Have a safe and Happy Halloween!