Friday 13th December 2019: The Nightmare Before Christmas

Friday the 13th is said to be the most unlucky date in the calendar and in December 2019, this unlucky day falls on a full moon at the darkest time of the year.

The moon will be at its fullest on Friday 13th December, and is know as a Cold Moon or Big Winter Moon, due to its proximity to the start of winter and the shortest day of the year. The Winter Solstice is just nine days away, the date on which winter begins and we'll see less than eight hours of daylight.

If you're superstitious, then you may be aware that everything is stacked up against you on the upcoming Friday 13th. As Christmas is fast approaching, and due to the long dark night, the coincidence of the full moon, and the bad luck associated with Friday 13th, the date is being labeled the "Nightmare Before Christmas" by some.

Friday 13th is always said to bring with it poor fortune and misery, but it gets more sinister when combined with the full moon, which is said to lead to an increase in paranormal activity, misfortune and criminal behaviour. Some think that this could be as a result of the brighter than normal light from the moon keep people awake, perhaps worsened by the gloom of just seven hours and 53 minutes of daylight.

The superstitious among us have a few ways to deal with this unlucky date in the calendar, including keeping a penny on you, or wearing lucky pants. With all the extra darkness, you may even want to look out for a shooting star to make a wish on.

You shouldn't be too defeated by all this looming negativity, the best way to overcome bad luck is with a positive mindset. The reason Pagans historically celebrated the Winter Solstice and Yuletide was not so much about darkness, but due to the passing of the shortest day of the year and the impending return of the light - as the days from this point begin to get shorter.

Historically it was a time when farmers would start planning for the coming year, and to increase your positive energy, you should plan ahead too. It's a time of evaluate your year and consider what you want to achieve in the coming twelve months. It's no coincidence that we make new year's resolutions later in the same month.

As 2019 comes to an end, the last few weeks in the calendar are the perfect time to start planning ahead and the changes you will make in the next few months in order to make 2020 your best year yet. This might include putting plans into action to help you break a bad habit, or make lifestyle changes to help you to become the best, healthiest or happiest version of yourself you can be.

Of course another way to increase positivity is to share your blessings with those less fortunate, something that Christmas is synonymous with, but why wait until December 25th? If you're feeling unlucky or negative on Friday 13th, then why not perform a random act of kindness for someone in order to lift the spirt of those around you. The modern idea of Christmas is more than just a day and it's everyone's duty to spread good fortune and good will across the whole of the festive season.

The label 'Nightmare Before Christmas' is of course a not to Tim Burton's 1993 animated musical that fuses together the darkness of Halloween and the joy of Christmas.