1. The name “Friday” originates from the Norse goddess Freya.
The day was devoted to the goddess of fertility, Freya – Freitag – Friday. We have no reliable information on whether this is a good day for… making babies. We know that babies have the highest probability of being born in the middle of the week.
2. Friday is sometimes also called POETS Day.
The abbreviation comes from “Piss Off Early Tomorrow’s Saturday”.
3. In astrology, Friday is connected to the planet Venus.
The symbol for Friday is also that of a woman (♀).
4. On Black Friday, an astonishing 12% of consumers are under theinfluence of alcohol.
That might go a way to explain why Black Friday in the USA is the biggest shopping day, outdoing the day before Christmas by a wide margin.
5. If you are scared of Friday the 13th, you may haveparaskavedekatriaphobia.
That is the scientific term for your fear. Friday the 13th is very costly for society – according to research by psychologist Donald Dossey America looses $ 900 as a result of productivity decline. It costs to be superstitious!
6. Friday is a day off for all Muslims.
This is the day on which the world is to come to an end according to Islam.
7. In maritime circles, it has long been considered unlucky to begin a voyage on a Friday.
So much so, that there circulates a story about a ship named HMS Friday:
“Sometime in the 19th century, the Royal Navy attempted to finally dispel the old superstition among sailors that beginning a voyage on a Friday was certain to bring bad luck. To demonstrate the falseness of this belief, they decided to commission a ship named HMS Friday. Her keel was laid on a Friday, she was launched on a Friday, and she set sail on her maiden voyage on Friday the 13th, under the command of a Captain James Friday. She was never seen or heard from again.” (Wikipedia on HMS Friday)
However, this story is not true, but an urban legend.
8. 90% of US companies have a “Casual Friday” dress code.
Clothing is not optional, but is less formal than on other days.
