One of the most enduring superstitions , particularly in North America , istriskaidekaphobia — awe of the identification number 13 . According to author Nathaniel Lachenmeyer , the full term triskaidekaphobia originated around 1910 , impart with it phobic disorder about Friday the 13th as well as the tradition of builder cut the 13th level when designing building , in an effort to avoid high-risk chance . Even famous revulsion writer Stephen King wo n’t stop reading a book if he is at a page whose number add up to 13 [ germ : NPR ] .
Some restaurants even get in on the " 13 is unlucky " human activity . jaw some eateries in England and you ’ll find zero tables count 13 [ reference : Baggini ] . Although some chefs admit they do n’t really believe in this superstitious notion , they uphold it anyway as respect to tradition .
One of the more enduring restaurant superstition — and at home , if you have a large enough table — is that if 13 hoi polloi rust at the same tabular array , one will choke before year ’s end . What ’s behind this sometimes - impractical superstition ? Several theories .
According to the Bible , the Last Supper included 13 people , one of who in the end tell on Jesus . ill-omened indeed . Another is aNorselegend about 12 hoi polloi sharing a repast in Valhalla . A 13th someone , Loki ( the flavor of strife ) barge in the dinner and one somebody terminate up dead . Finally , a French theory explain that most dinner home base come in sets of 12 . The 13th mortal who ends up with a mismatch plate would feel unloved , and issue forth into bad luck [ informant : Romain ] .
However , sceptic always exist . In the 1890s , historian William Harnett Blanch founded the London Thirteen Club in an attempt to prove the telephone number 13 ( as well as other superstitions ) was harmless . In the spirit of testify superstition wrong , this club met on the 13th of every month , and defied sorry luck in a humourous number of ways .
Meeting on the 13th of every month for dinner party , guest sit at 13 tables with 13 position setting . To get to the nine , they had to comply an undertaker under a ladder , sit at tables decorated with smutty cats , and pour forth salinity before corrode . Members broke mirrors , turned shoe upside down and span knives — all considered bad lot . Even breaking every superstition they could think of , only one member of the London Thirteen Club died — he fail to pay up his membership dues [ source : Watts ] . The Thirteen Club enjoyed enough popularity to boast five U.S. Presidents as members , let in Grover Cleveland , Theodore Roosevelt and William McKinley [ germ : Smithsonian ]
