From a New York Times story by Isabella Kwai headlined “It’s Friday the 13th. Try Not to Be Spooked.”:

Depending on where you fall on the scale from “extremely superstitious” to “not at all,” Friday may be the most frightful day of your year.

It’s the 13th. It’s Friday the 13th. It’s Friday the 13th in October, the spookiest month of all.

The superstition that the date is unlucky is widespread in Western culture. It has inspired a horror movie franchise, a novel and even a treatise from Stephen King. Building developers and hoteliers have been known to avoid labeling the 13th floor as such, some airlines don’t have a Row 13, and couples have avoided marrying on a Friday if it falls on the 13th.