13 Superstitions For Friday 13th Everyone NEEDS to Know

13 Superstitions For Friday 13th Everyone NEEDS to Know [Updated for 2026]

I love learning about superstitions!

Ever since I was young and hearing about walking under ladders and splitting posts being “bad luck”, I was obsessed with superstitions.

There’s just something intriguing about the mystery surrounding all things superstitions, isn’t there?

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For years I’ve loved deep diving into them and soaking up as much information as possible. And let tell you, it’s all super interesting!

Enough of my waffling though, let’s just dive straight in, shall we?

13 Superstitions For Friday 13th

“Superstition is the belief in supernatural causality—that one event causes another without any natural process linking the two events—such as astrology, religion, omens, witchcraft, and prophecies, that contradicts natural science” 

– Definition of Superstition

13: Black cats crossing your path

The black cat superstition varies from culture to culture in my understanding, and in early Egyptian times cats (no matter their colour) were all held in high esteem!

If you killed one, it was considered to be a capital crime.

However, focusing in on the black cat and it crossing your path, it means various different things in different cultures.

For instance, Pirates from the 19th century believed that a black cat walking towards you meant bad luck.

However, the Scottish (yay for being Scottish) believe a black cat showing up at your house means prosperity.

I like to think the prosperity one is real.

12: Walking under a Ladder

The walking under a ladder superstition is one that I never really took notice of growing up.

I always heard others talking about it but thought it was a lot of rubbish.

But looking into it now, I see that it was considered to be very bad luck and, in some theories, they have went as far as to say it was akin to blaspheming.

This theory comes from the very early days of Christianity.

11: Opening an umbrella inside

I never, EVER dared open an umbrella inside growing up, and I still don’t!

There’s just something about it I can’t quite put my finger on, but the thought of doing it just freaks me out.

I tried to find the origin of this one, but I couldn’t get a clear answer.

Although, I did see that there was something about this superstition that was connected to the Egyptians that quite interested me.

10: Spilling salt

I never believed in the spilling salt superstition growing up, no matter how many times my gran would tell me about it.

The European superstition believes that spilling salt is an evil omen!

It was also believed that because salt was so expensive, spilling it meant future loss.

Here’s a good read: Why is it bad luck to spill salt?

9: Step on a crack, break your mothers back

Looking into this superstition I came across one theory about the origin that made me feel very un-easy.

It was linked to racism in the 19th century- early 20th century, yeah not good.

I went through a phase when I was around 8 that seen me avoiding cracks everywhere!

It was right around the time my uncle passed away and I was so scared that stepping on a crack would mean that my mother back would break and she would die too.

Very morbid thoughts for an 8-year-old.

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8: Smashing a mirror brings 7 years of bad luck

Now this superstition is one that has haunted me my whole life!

I was always petrified incase I smashed a mirror and got 7 years of bad luck.

This is something that has stuck with me and I’ve always been, and always will be so careful around mirrors!

I’ve read a few different theories on where this superstition originated and it’s so interesting.

This is an interesting one to start with: How did the superstition that broken mirrors cause bad luck start and why does it still exist?

7: “Touch Wood”

Whenever anyone in my house talked about something bad happening, they would always say “Touch wood” before or after their sentences as to not jinx it happening.

And it wasn’t until my teens I really found out it was supposed to help you avoid “testing fate”.

I still to this day do this one, can’t hurt right?

But, I’m unsure of the origins of the superstition and I can’t find anything concrete on the internet.

However, the Wiki page for “Knocking on wood” is quite an interesting read.

6: New shoes off the table

Whenever I got a new pair of shoes I was warned not to put them on any of the tables in the house because it would bring bad luck.

There was one time I accidentally did put them on the dining table and I think my gran would have had a heart attack if I hadn’t whipped them right off.

This is quite a good read on this superstition – Gallows, Germs, or God: Why is it Bad Luck to Put Shoes on the Table?

5: A rabbit’s foot brings good Luck

When I was younger, we used to get women coming around the doors selling all kinds of things like heather or good luck charms.

I was used to it, then one day a woman came to the door and tried to sell me a rabbit’s foot!

A RABBITS FOOT!

I was so scared that I screamed, I probably shouldn’t have but I was around 7/8 years old and had no idea why a rabbits foot was being shoved in my face.

Later that night my gran explained to me that some people believed that carrying a rabbit’s foot brought good luck.

I really don’t see it, but some people believe in it and I’m all for whatever makes people feel at ease I suppose.

4: Splitting a pole brings bad luck

This is a superstition that never really interested me, I didn’t believe in it at all but one of my friends did and they always made a big thing about it any time it happened.

They would tell me to say “Bread and Butter” three times with them so that we didn’t get bad luck.

I just thought it was totally bonkers, but they believed in it and it didn’t do any harm.

It’s really interesting to read about though, highly recommend googling it if you’re in a research mood.

3: It comes in threes

I don’t know about you, but my gran always say’s that it “comes in threes”.

Now when she says this, she means bad luck and good luck.

So, when something bad happens I always worry that another two bad things will happen and sometimes it freaks me out when three bad things do happen.

It’s not just bad luck though, it happens with good luck too my gran says.

I guess it’s probably a coincidence really, my brain is pattern recognising, but I’ll always believe it a little I think.

2: Walking over three stanks

Ok, so I’m really guilty of this one, like really guilty.

A lot of my friends get annoyed at me for it because I refuse point blank to walk over three stanks in a row.

It’s even got to the point that I don’t let Little bear or Baby bear walk over three stanks either.

I’m not sure where I got it from as my mum or gran don’t believe in it, but I must have picked it up somewhere.

Anytime I walk over three stanks something bad happens, it’s definitely in my mind but I’m taking no chances!

1: Friday the 13th

People often associate Friday the 13th with bad luck, but for me, it’s lucky!

Something good always happens to me whether that be finding money, getting good news, I have an exceptionally good day, or I just don’t have any pain for once.

Friday the 13th always turns out to be a good day for me, and for that I’m thankful.

Final Thoughts on 13 superstitions for Friday the 13th

And there you have it, 13 superstitions for Friday the 13th.

It’s so interesting to me all the different superstitions in the world from all cultures. It’s beautiful to learn about, it really is.

Do you have any superstitions that you abide by?

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