In 2026, three different Fridays will fall on the 13th of a month. In the United States, the date has long had a superstitious connotation as one of the unluckiest days of the year.
For centuries, Friday the 13th has been associated with an ominous fear of bad luck. An estimated 17 million people experience triskaidekaphobia, the fear of Friday the 13th. Some buildings skip the thirteenth floor entirely, while many people avoid their normal routine.
In the tattoo world, however, the day holds a very different meaning. Since the 1990s, the tattoo community has transformed the day into a creative form of self- expression. The tradition began with $13 tattoos that often featured a designated flash sheet with symbols of fear, such as the grim reaper, bats, black cats, and tombstones.
It’s not uncommon for someone’s first tattoo to be done on Friday the 13th.
Some see the tattoo as a charm to ward off bad luck, while others appreciate and enjoy the camaraderie surrounding the day.
Modern flash sheets now include a wide variety of discounted small tattoos suitable for walk-ins. It remains a unique way to mark the date and has become one of the busiest days for tattoo shops with lines out the door. Some shops will also have corresponding Friday the 13th piercings and serve food.
