The Expat Podcast: Friday the Great.

The name Friday comes from the Norse language, meaning the day of Freya, the Norse goddess of beauty. The word for Friday in most Romance languages is derived from the name of Venus (vendredi in French, venerdi in Italian, viernes in Spanish, vineri in Romanian etc.), while in Germanic languages it is named after Freya (Freitag in Modern German, vrijdag in Dutch, fredag in Swedish etc.) .

In India, Friday is Shukravar. It is based on Shukra—Vedic god of Venus.

In most countries with a five-day work week, Friday is the last workday before the weekend and is therefore viewed as a cause for celebration or relief. In some offices, employees are allowed to wear less formal attire on Fridays, known as Casual Friday or Dress-Down Friday.

Friday in history

In Alaska in 1867, Friday 6 October was immediately followed by Friday 18 October due to the adoption of the Gregorian calendar and shifting of the International Date Line after the United States acquired it from Russia.

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Friday in religion

In Christianity Good Friday is the Friday before Easter. It commemorates the crucifixion of Jesus.

In Islam, Friday is the day of public worship in mosques (see Friday prayers). In some Islamic countries, the week begins on Sunday and ends on Saturday, just like the Jewish and Christian week. In most other Islamic countries, such as Saudi Arabia and Iraq, the week begins on Saturday and ends on Friday. The Jewish Sabbath begins at sunset on Friday and runs until sunset on Saturday.

Some Catholics and Prayer Book Anglicans will refrain from eating the meat of warm blooded animals on Fridays, and will often choose fish instead.

Quakers traditionally refer to Friday as "Sixth Day" eschewing the pagan origins of the name.

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Astrology

In astrology Friday is connected with the planet Venus. This associates Friday with love, peace and relaxation, but also of emotional intensity and quashed dreams.

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Unlucky Friday

In some cultures, Friday is considered unlucky, especially regarding Friday the 13th. This is particularly so in maritime circles; perhaps the most enduring sailing superstition is that it is unlucky to begin a voyage on a Friday. In one story a Royal Navy ship HMS Friday was laid down on a Friday, launched on a Friday and captained by a Captain Friday and was never heard of again.

However, this is not universal, notably in Scottish Gaelic culture:

"Though Friday has always been held an unlucky day in many Christian countries, still in the Hebrides it is supposed that it is a lucky day for sowing the seed. Good Friday in particular is a favourite day for potato planting—even strict Roman Catholics make a point of planting a bucketful on that day. Probably the idea is that as the Resurrection followed the Crucifixion, and Burial so too in the case of the seed, and after death will come life." (Reference: Dwelly’s [Scottish] Gaelic Dictionary (1911): Di-haoine)

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Friday in popular culture

The phrase TGIF is a popular acronym for Thank God (or Goodness) It's Friday, expressing relief at the end of the working week and anticipation of relaxing or partying over the weekend. The phrase has spawned several variations and corruptions, see TGIF.

Another phrase in pop culture has come out, "Happy Friday".

In the popular rhyme, "Friday's Child is loving and giving".

Man Friday / Girl Friday - A man Friday is: "An efficient and devoted aide or employee; a right-hand man." Friday is a character in the novel Robinson Crusoe. The protagonist Robinson Crusoe rescues a young native man, and calles him 'man Friday' because he met him on a Friday.[1] 'Girl Friday' is a term, now frowned upon, for a resourceful female assistant, made popular by the classic 1940 comedy adaptation of 'The Front Page' (His Girl Friday) starring Rosalind Russell as an ace reporter and Cary Grant as her cynical editor and ex-husband.

Friday is a book by science-fiction author Robert A. Heinlein.

Friday is also a movie featuring rapper Ice Cube and has spawned several sequels.

Freaky Friday is the name of a 1972 children's novel made into three films.

Friday is a Hong Kong based weekly magazine.

"Friday on My Mind" was a worldwide 1967 hit by The Easybeats.

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