As it turns out, Friday the 13th isn't so terrible after all—and the pros agree

No need to avoid black cats and toss salt over your shoulder—here's why Friday the 13th is lucky

Number thirteen on a calendar, Friday the 13th, Why Friday the 13th is lucky
(Image credit: Getty)

Someone tell Jason Voorhees the jig is up—Friday the 13th isn't as menacing and unlucky as we've been led to believe. 

Not unlike some May astrology events (ahem, Mercury retrograde), Friday the 13th gets a bad rep when in reality, there's not much for us to worry about. In fact, we should be celebrating, not avoiding black cats. 

"There's a lot of different theories as to why Friday the 13th is considered an unlucky day, and I have to disagree with the whole basic premise," says Melissa St. Hilaire, psychic-medium and an educator at the Metaphysical Shoppe & Apothecary. "From my perspective, Friday the 13th is a day of luck. It's a feminine day, a day of empowerment and, as a witch, a day to manifest my destiny."

So, can we turn this superstition on its head? We're going to try. Grab some candles, perhaps a journal to jot down your thoughts—all great gifts astrology fans love—and prepare to take some notes on your new favorite day of the year.

Why Friday the 13th is lucky, according to the pros

St. Hilaire admits that Fridays can denote many things. In Norse mythology, the final day of the workweek traces back to the goddess Frigg, who rules love and family. Then there's the link to Freyja, who is a goddess of fertility. 

"We have all these feminine beautiful attributes for Friday," she says.

Both St. Hilaire and astrologer Nina Kahn believe that Friday's general ruling of Venus—a planet of love, romance, beauty and luxury—only exacerbates this mindset.

"We can actually find a lot of magic in Friday the 13th," Kahn adds. 

And we haven't even touched on numerology. 

woman in stylish sunglasses in a trendy white t-shirt in blue trendy jeans posing outdoors on the background of carousels

(Image credit: Getty)

Oftentimes, 12 is the end of a cycle—12 inches in a foot, 12 months per year, 12 zodiac signs. But 13 takes that notion further.

"It’s about stepping into the unknown and building a foundation for ourselves, and the unknown can be a little scary," Kahn says. "Thirteen can remind us to be willing to embrace the unknown and transform ourselves."

In addition to transformation, 13 can also be about stability if you break it down: 1+3=4, and four is all about practicality in numerology.

"Four is about building foundations for the future, planting seeds," St. Hilaire says. "So I would look at Friday the 13th as a day to sit and meditate on what have you achieved thus far, what you want to achieve in the future and what you need to do to make that happen."

What to do on Friday the 13th

No need to avoid ladders and whatnot, but you should take the opportunity to embrace your goals and whatever you desire next. If you're working with crystals—check out our best crystals for beginners, if so—St. Hilaire has a few recs. 

"I'd go with rose quartz, it's such as a powerful stone when connecting with your own divine femininity," she says. "And then I would use black onyx because it's about strength and power, and I'd want to add that in."

3d render, assorted colored spiritual crystals isolated on white background, reiki healing quartz, rough nuggets, faceted gemstones, semiprecious gems

(Image credit: Getty)

Aside from that, jot down your next big plans on paper.

"Sit and meditate on what have you achieved thus far, what you want to achieve in the future and what you need to do to make that happen," St. Hilaire says. "Write out what you want to achieve, burn it in a fire pit and send it off to the spirits and say, 'Hey, this is what I want to do. I'm ready, let's do it.'"

When is Friday the 13th in 2022?

Friday, May 13 is the only one on the calendar for 2022, so use it wisely!

Nina Kahn

Nina Kahn is an author and mystical content creator, covering the cosmos for Bustle, Horoscope.com and CosmicAF. Check out her books, Astrology For Life and The Joy Of Hex.

Melissa St. Hilaire

An intuitive reader and medium, Melissa offers spellcrafting services, a psychic development circle series and more. She's been featured on Sheena Metal’s Raising The Vibration on LA Talk RadioDead Air and the Glitter Cast, to name a few.

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Danielle Valente
Digital News Writer

Need a TV show recommendation? Maybe a few decor tips? Danielle, a digital news writer at Future, has you covered. Her work appears throughout the company’s lifestyle brands, including My Imperfect Life, Real Homes, and woman&home. Mainly, her time is spent at My Imperfect Life, where she’s attuned to the latest entertainment trends and dating advice for Gen Z.


Before her time at Future, Danielle was the editor of Time Out New York Kids, where she got to experience the best of the city from the point of view of its littlest residents. Before that, she was a news editor at Elite Daily. Her work has also appeared in Domino, Chowhound, and amNewYork, to name a few. 


When Danielle’s not writing, you can find her testing out a new recipe, reading a book (suggestions always welcome), or rearranging the furniture in her apartment…again.