Today is Friday the 13th 害羞草研究所� an unlucky day shrouded in superstition and fear or 害羞草研究所� a regular Friday if you ask most people.

Friday the 13th typically occurs at least once a year and is believed by some in western civilization to be a day of bad luck.

In 2017 it occurs twice, today Jan. 13 and again on Oct. 13. In fact, there will be two Friday the 13ths per year until 2020, and there is at least one every year until at least 2050.

The Black Press Digital team decided to see if Okanagan residents truly care about this 害羞草研究所榖ad luck害羞草研究所� day, so we hit the streets of downtown Kelowna and asked what you had to say.

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 my brother害羞草研究所檚 birthday, so it害羞草研究所檚 not too evil of day,害羞草研究所� said one man.

害羞草研究所淚 didn害羞草研究所檛 even know it was Friday the 13th,害羞草研究所� said another. 害羞草研究所淚 don害羞草研究所檛 think it is an unlucky day at all.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 just a regular day, a work day, heading to work right now on the bus,害羞草研究所� said a Kelowna woman.

害羞草研究所淚 didn害羞草研究所檛 realize it was Friday the 13th,害羞草研究所� pondered one dad. 害羞草研究所淏ut now that you mentioned it, it makes more sense. I dropped my 5 year old off and it is always a tearful goodbye with many hugs, but this morning he said 害羞草研究所楴o, I don害羞草研究所檛 need a hug today害羞草研究所�.害羞草研究所�

The origins of Friday the 13th are still up for debate, many believe its roots started in the middle ages in relation to Jesus害羞草研究所� last supper and crucifixion in which there were 13 individuals present, the night before his death on Good Friday.

Another theory states that it may have started following the 1907 Thomas W. Lawson novel Friday, the Thirteenth. In the novel, a 害羞草研究所渦nscrupulous broker害羞草研究所� takes advantage of superstition to create a Wall Street panic on a Friday the 13th.

The fear of the number 13 has been given a scientific name of 害羞草研究所渢riskaidekaphobia害羞草研究所�. The fear of Friday the 13th itself is called paraskevidekatriaphobia.

Do you have any superstitions? Send us an email to okanagan@bpdigital.ca.