WHY would we have an Art Bazaar on Friday the 13th? This year, Representative John Paul Sablan is sponsoring the 4th annual community event of a holiday craft show, Art Bazaar, at the multi-purpose center on Friday, Dec. 13 from 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Is the day bad luck?
The superstition
Friday the thirteenth is believed to be an unlucky day, according to western philosophies. The number 13 crops up as a symbol of misfortune in various places. High rise buildings that have no 13th floor. In sports and especially race car driving, 13 was banned from assignment to participants. In the popular Harry Potter series, there is a scene where the professor of fortune-telling, Sibyl Trelawney, hesitates to join the Christmas feast because she will make the dinner party number 13. “Never forget,” she says, “when 13 dine, the first to rise is the first to die.” And Fridays were also traditionally linked to misfortune. The combination of the two is deemed doubly unlucky.
Some history
The Friday the 13th superstition’s origins lay in the murky past. Perhaps it stems from Norse mythology, where the trickster god, Loki, retaliated when he was not invited to a dinner party of the other 12 gods. He got Balder, god of joy and gladness to shoot an arrow into them, but the arrow had been tipped with mistletoe, causing death and destruction. Much sadness and suffering ensued. Or perhaps it is related to Christianity, where 13 apostles dined with Jesus and he was then betrayed and died on a Friday.
Despite these ancient possible sources, the superstition only appears in writing around the early 19th century, through a character in an 1834 play, and then later in 1868 with the death of Rossini, an Italian composer, and then in 1907 in a novel of the same name.
Staying safe
Warding off evil has just as many superstitions as the misfortune. Suggestions include throwing salt over your left shoulder to ward off evil spirits; knocking on wood to call forth the protection of tree guardians: and wearing blue, a supposed color of blue luck.
Saipan’s Art Bazaar
But our holiday Art Bazaar is on Friday, the 13th! Never fear, though, because there is nothing that will bring you good fortune, good karma, or good luck more than supporting your local artists and crafts persons!
Here are some tips for enjoying the Art Bazaar.
• The timing? You may be thinking but it’s on a Friday and I work. This is a hurdle that you can overcome. Visit during your breaks or lunch hour! Come after school if you’re a teacher or student, or after work for those close-out deals! Or if all else fails, have someone else go and shop for you
• Be prepared. Bring cash. It’s fun to shop, but no one should go into debt for the holidays. Using cash helps you stick to your budget. It also recognizes the fact that some of the artists and crafts persons will not have the means to accept credit /debit cards or Venmo or PayPal or other non-cash payments.
• Buy gifts! The holiday craft show is a perfect place to find unique gifts for your family and friends. Whether you’re buying for the upcoming holidays, a birthday, an expectant mother, an anniversary — whatever! Make a list of those you want to buy for and then be open to all kinds of possibilities from the wide range of art and crafts available.
• You might want small token gifts, like the MADE BY HAND Café at Home packets for coffee drinkers, tea aficionados, and chocolate lovers or crochet and fiber arts key chains from MERIAS CROCHET or UCHANESTI. You might want gifts for children, like island logo t-shirts from SUSAN CABRERA or phone charms from MADE BY ALMAY. You might like some holiday flair, like Christmas wreaths from DESIGNER WREATH & CO or holiday candles with island scents from SUSAN CABRERA. You may want something for the very special person in your life and find the unique present, like a gift of jewelry from MADE BY ALMAY or a luxury item MADE BY HAND afghan or a painting by JEANNE RAYPHAND perfect.
There will be these and many other choices you’ll find at the Art Bazaar, but remember supplies are limited, some are unique, and this is a one-day event.
• Pamper yourself. You should also include in your budget, if you can afford it, some self-love. Whether you end up with a small item, like eco-friendly MADE BY HAND face scrubbies, MERIAS CROCHET plumeria hair clips, or an island breeze butterfly top by UCHANESTI, pampering yourself will help you get through the rest of the year.
• Protect yourself. And since the Art Bazaar is on Friday the 13th, let me also recommend checking for åmot (Chamorro medicine) at BISHU MARIANAS.
This Friday the 13th, do not worry or fear superstitious bad luck. Come to the Art Bazaar at the multi-purpose center and support your local artists and crafters. Ward off the evil spirits with your community love.
