Lucky 13s

A. Baker’s Dozen
In 1266, Henry III of England began enforcing the ancient law “Assize of Bread and Ale” which put in place penalties for bakers or brewers whose product did not measure up to the weight that was paid for. To avoid being fined, flogged, or pilloried, bakers began tossing in a little extra to cover themselves. These days, that lucky extra donut is likely a friendly gesture or an oversight on the part of your baker, rather than a hedge against corporal punishment.

B. Chinese Lucky Number
In Chinese culture, numbers are considered lucky when they sound like other words that have positive meanings. In Mandarin, when the numbers 1 and 3 are put together to make 13, it is a homonym for the phrase “definitely vibrant” or “assured growth.”

C. Wilt Chamberlain
Wilt Chamberlain wore the number 13 for his entire career (Kansas University, Harlem Globetrotters, Philadelphia 76ers, Golden State Warriors, and L.A. Lakers.) One of the greatest players in basketball history, he personally holds 62 records including most points (100) and most rebounds (55) in a single game. And he was an NBA all-star—13 times. He was also known to get lucky quite often when not wearing his #13 jersey.

D. Bar Mitzvah
When a boy turns 13, he is considered old enough to understand Jewish religious teachings and becomes accountable for his actions. The coming of age ceremony is therefore the point at which he becomes a man, in addition to being a big, fun party in his honor.

E. Big Baby
On January 26 of this year, Kendall Stewardson of Des Moines, Iowa gave birth to a boy weighing 13 pounds and 13 ounces, without the aid of surgery or an epidural. Asher Stewardson was the largest infant born at Mercy Medical Center without a C-section.

F. Original Colonies
Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maryland, South Carolina, New Hampshire, Virginia, New York, North Carolina, and Rhode Island were self-governed colonies settled by various British interests between 1607 and 1732. In 1775, the ambitious colonies united to fight for independence from Great Britain. After the successful Revolution, they became the first of the United States of America.

G. Apollo 13
An oxygen tank exploded 2 days into this 1970 trip to the moon. So you might consider the famed “Houston, we have a problem” mission unlucky. But ask the 3 astronauts if they feel lucky after making it home safely despite loss of power, heat, drinking water, and nearly air. They MacGyvered the broken air system and made an unprecedented slingshot around the moon to return to earth.

H. Friday the 13th Birthdays
Irene Hazen, mother to Shawn, was born on Friday the 13th and maintains that this makes it a lucky day for her. Others who have enjoyed luck by virtue of Friday the 13th birthdays include: Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, Peter Tork, Fidel Castro, Horatio Alger, Heidi Klum, Margaret Thatcher, and, appropriately, Alfred Hitchcock.

Happy 2013 from Hazen Creative

Wishing you a year of luck, happiness and an extra donut in every box.