Black Friday mania sweeps city
Newsagents in Toowoomba expecting big business
IF YOU are prone to bad luck, today might be a day when you keep away from black cats and ladders.
A day that is feared to bring more misfortune than most is upon us - Friday, October 13 - that means if you live with a healthy amount of superstition in your life you will probably be going the extra mile with the four leaf clovers and rabbits’ feet.
For some, however, today is a day of great prosperity.
Newsagents, for example, normally enjoy a hectic day of business and for owner of Hartley’s News Xpress Mark Dawson it’s a day he sees dozens of residents piling into his shop front to get a “lucky” scratch card.
“It can actually be a lucky day to some people who think it’s the best time to buy a ticket,” he said.
“It will be busier than
normal because some people will be out buying tickets while others perceive it as an unlucky day.”
So where did the superstition begin?
While there is no confirmed origin for the mystery surrounding Friday the 13th, there are a few theories as to where it began.
One popular school of thought is that it dates back to the Last Supper, with Judas being the 13th guest
and Jesus’ crucifixion occurring on a Friday.
Another interesting theory implicates the Knights Templars.
That story suggests that on the day the Knights Templars were arrested by King Phillip IV - Friday, October 13, 1307 - the day forever became cursed.
Many refuse to work, eat or even fly on the day and architects often refuse to build a 13th floor on buildings.