Centuries and centuries ago, pagans and other religions followed certain rituals and believed in certain superstitions to explain things they didn't understand.
During the darkest days of winter, ancient pagans brought greenery into the home to encourage growth in the spring and lit candles to encourage the return of the sun.
Although we may know better today, we're not without our own more secular superstitions and rituals. We still might automatically hold our breath when walking past a graveyard, avoid a black cat or stepping under a ladder.
Our persistent following of superstitions becomes all the more clear on a day like today - the dreaded Friday the 13th.
"I think humans are just a little OCD, it's our nature to believe in superstitions and rituals," said Suzi Stretton, manager at Serendipity's Backyard. "They're ingrained in us. It makes us feel safe, it's almost like we want to be better safe than sorry."
So many people suffer from a phobia of this date - known as friggatriskaidekaphobia - that the Stress Management Center and Phobia Institute in North Carolina has declared it the most feared date of the year in the U.S. Ironically, it's cited as the date with the fewest incidents and accidents because people are so careful, avoiding any risks on this day.
Although mention of Friday the 13th is scarce before the 1800s, the origin of the superstition is believed to be an amalgamation of the unluckiness of Friday and the number 13 throughout history.
While 12 is considered a divine number - referring to the amount of hours in a day, months in a year, gods in Olympus, Apostles of Christ - 13 becomes irregular and unlucky.
In Norse mythology, Loki, the god of mischief, sat at the 13th seat at the table, while, in Christianity, 13 people dined during the Last Supper.
As for Friday, it was considered unlucky in Chaucer's Canterbury Tales and was the day Jesus was crucified, among other things.
Today, both day and number still come loaded with baggage.
Many fishermen refuse to schedule their first sail of the spring on a Friday, as it is supposed to bring bad luck.
"I'm not sure where that one came from, but I've heard it all my life," said Mike Rekis, a longtime fisherman who works at Steveston Harbour Authority. "It's passed on through generations even though we know it's a superstition."
Asked if he would ever have his first sail on a Friday, Rekis responds with a resolute "nope."
"Fishermen are really bad when it comes to superstitions, we have so many," he said. "We almost have to be superstitious because of our surroundings out on the water. We're against Mother Nature, something bigger than us, and we don't want to upset the balance."
At the same time, the number 13 and its negative connotations infiltrate secular society in a number of ways, most frequently when it comes to missing 13th floors.
"Most of the hotels I've worked at, including this one, don't have a 13th floor," said Yannick Simovic, the general manager at the Marriott Hotel in Richmond. "It's sometimes skipped completely or renamed the pool floor. It's something we do for the guests because of the superstition."
The Marriott also avoids using the number four as it is considered unlucky amongst Asian cultures.
