By Aimee Bulger
Staff Writer
Friday the 13th is often viewed as a day of bad luck and bad omens. However, for those who enjoy tattoos, it is a coveted day full of creativity and low prices.
On Friday the 13th of every year, many tattoo shops host flash sales, offering cheaper prices for simple and fun tattoos. Typically, the tattoos are Halloween themed and on a predetermined sheet for customers to choose from. The sales and offerings vary depending on each individual shop.
One specific option was a sale at Art n Soul in Hackensack, N.J., where they offered quarter-sized tattoos for $20, along with a tip for the artist. The shop was packed to the brim with people hoping to get a fun and cheap tattoo. Many tattoo shops were undoubtedly busy as a result of their sales, resulting in many customers and artwork being created throughout the day.
The idea of tattoos on Friday the 13th comes from an old legend, stemming from a sailor tale.
The day itself is traditionally linked to bad luck and misfortune. However, the legend states that getting a tattoo on Friday the 13th is good luck, according to CBS News. This idea comes from a sailor who tattooed the number thirteen onto himself, in hopes of repelling any and all bad luck by donning the unlucky number.
Many designs offered on the predetermined sheets often incorporate the number 13, as well as other Halloween aspects. Ghosts, gravestones, cats, caldrons, skulls or anything else you can think of that is Halloween related; there is most likely an option.
The superstition of bad luck on the day of Friday the 13th is combated in many different, fun ways–this being one of the more permanent and artistic options. The tradition was reportedly started by a tattoo parlor in Texas during the 90s, growing into a long standing and popular activity over the years.
Many use this ritual to start their own personal traditions, as it becomes a fun routine to get a small tattoo on this day every year, one that may be started up by many others this year as well. Not only does this yearly tradition offer a creative activity to partake in, it also offers an affordable option for those looking to get a simple tattoo.
The idea of getting a small, silly or cheap tattoo also allows for an ease in the idea that tattoos have to be something very serious. For many, tattoos can be something fun and creative to add to their body. This idea of a quick, little design lessens the stress that many feel when trying to decide on a meaningful and serious tattoo. This yearly tradition allows for the aspect of fun to shine through.
While Friday the 13th can be an intimidating day for the superstitious, it also kicks off the Halloween spirit with the beginnings of spooky ideas, as well as marking a day full of plentiful permanent artwork for many.
