If you’re from an English, German, Polish or Portuguese-speaking culture then you’re probably familiar with the Friday the 13th superstition. It usually rolls around a couple times a year and causes all sorts of “bad luck”. But how did thus “unlucky” day get such a bad reputation, and is there any truth to it?

There are many theories regarding the origin of Friday the 13th– from Norse legend to Biblical explanations- but none of them are substantiated. Based on historical events, Greece and Spain have chiefly observed Tuesday the 13th as their day of unavoidable misfortune. Even though science has attempted to prove that “luck cannot be predicted and is largely beyond our capacity to influence or control”, it is estimated that “$800 or $900 million is lost in business on [Friday the 13th] because people will not fly or do business they would normally do.” There’s even a name for those who are phobic of this dastardly day: paraskavedekatriaphobia. Yah, try saying that 3 times fast.

The mind is a powerful thing, so instead of worrying about ill-fate on Friday the 13th, just believing that you’re lucky can result in creating your own good fortune. For instance, my birthday is on the 13th so I’ve always felt it was a special number for me. Most Friday the 13ths have been “lucky” for me, quite possibly due to positive mental association that I have. What are your Friday the 13ths like? Have you had a string of good luck or bad luck?

Plenty of boils and ghouls will be out tonight attending spooky-themed events so get out there, have fun, and make some of your own good luck. (If you’re in San Diego, come by the Creature Feature show and say hi!)

Apparently, I’m the last one to know about modifying LEGO “mini figures” (the little dudes and dudettes): there are a lot of sites out there on the topic! If Legos aren’t your thing then you may have missed this phenomena too, but like many subjects, if you add at least a vaguely creepy aspect to it then it’s a lot more interesting. Case in point: A Lego Revivening and some Lego Halloween Monsters at Flickr. Look at those details!

Like the unrelenting undead, many Lego fans just keep barreling forward with their ideas and take the next logical step into making movies. My favorite of the ones I found is All of the Dead, a very short black and white film containing some great zombie chaos and cliches. Another funny Lego zombie shorty is Toxic Waste. Watch for the full sized items in the door barricading scene towards the end. There’s also a very abbreviated Lego Chainsaw Massacre, and a painstakingly shot-for-shot accurate Thriller with Legos. You haven’t seen anything until you’ve watched a Lego guy’s skull get bashed in with a hammer or try to do the Thriller dance.

What other creepy stuff can you do with your little Lego dudes? The evil mad scientists at Evil Mad Scientist Labs show you how LED lights + LEGO Minifigures = tiny creepy Halloween decorations. It’s a dang easy project and makes for very unique Halloween decor.

Have you made or found any creepy Lego projects online? Drop us a comment!