How To Celebrate Saint Patrick's Day

St. Patrick's Day was established as a way to recognize Saint Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland. Originally a religious holiday, it is now practiced on March 17th by many people throughout the world with food, drink and all things green.

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The 8th-17th of March is Seachtain na Gaeilge.

(Week of Ireland/Irish.)Try and celebrate it by speaking

more Irish than you would normally.

Accessorize:

Buttons, pins and jewelry are all great ways to dress up

an outfit. On St. Patrick's Day, they become ways to

express the fun side of fashion. Nothing is too gaudy or

outlandish. Buttons with clever (or not so clever) sayings

are also encouraged. Small shamrock pins are a great

and subtle way to express your support of the holiday.

Dying your hair or your pets' fur bright green is also a

great way to stand out.

Eat traditional Irish food:

Beer and spirits are not the only great "foods" to come

out of Ireland. Corned beef (corned beef is not a

traditional Irish meal, that tradition started in NYC),

cabbage and lamb stew are tasty ways to "keep it real."

Potatoes are about as Irish as you can get and are one

of the staples of the Irish diet.

Know The History of St. Patrick's Day:

Though history saw celebrations of feasts in his honor,

St. Patrick's Day was not officially recognized until 1976.

Saint Patrick has been credited with bringing Christianity

to Ireland. There seem to be multiple origin stories for St.

Patrick's Day, but:

• Most sources agree that St. Patrick's actual name was Maewyn Succat. They also agree that Maewyn was

kidnapped and sold into slavery at age 16 and, to help him endure his enslavement, he turned to God.

• Six years after his captivity began, St. Patrick escaped from slavery to France, where he became a priest, and then the second Bishop to Ireland. He spent the next 30 years establishing schools, churches, and monasteries across the country. He brought Christianity widespread acceptance amongst the pagan indigenous peoples.

• It is thought that St. Patrick used a shamrock as a metaphor for the Trinity (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit), showing how three individual units could be part of the same body. His parishioners began wearing shamrocks to his church services. Today, "the wearing of the green" on St. Patrick's Day represents spring, shamrocks, and Ireland.

• The date of St. Patrick's death is still up for discussion. Some say that he died on March 17th, 461 AD. Another possibility is either March 8th or 9th - the days were added together to get March 17th. What is certain is that the holiday came to America in 1737, and was celebrated in Boston that year.

Play some music.

Ireland has a long history with music, and many incredible

styles have emerged. Celtic, folk and traditional Irish pub songs

might just get you in the St. Patrick's Day spirit!

Attend local parades

If you can't make it to the five day festival in Dublin, Ireland,

check out the scene locally. Though small towns aren't likely to

have parades, many large cities such as New York City, Boston,

St. Louis, San Francisco, Chicago, London and Sydney have

great celebrations. Savannah, GA boasts the 2nd largest

parade in the U.S.

Listen to the radio

Popular radio stations will often be announcing their involvement

in parties around your city to drum up buzz. If you haven't heard

anything, call up the local stations and ask if they've heard any St. Patrick's Day news

Go Green

You don't have to wear a sweater with a giant shamrock on it. (Though that would certainly help you stand out.)

The great thing about this holiday is you are free to go as subtle or as wild as you like. St. Patrick's Day T-shirts have been a common article of clothing to wear proudly.

Consider the following suggestions when picking out something to wear: (see related warnings regarding what to wear)

• An all green t-shirt

• Funny St. Patrick's Day-related sayings (e.g. "Kiss me, I'm Irish!")

• A t-shirt screen-printed with Irish beer monikers such as Harp or Guinness

• Green-striped polo or collared shirt (for you professionals out there)

• Leprechaun costume or your own creation for those who are feeling particularly festive

• It is a tradition in Ireland for all attending parades and generally celebrating to wear a small collection of Shamrock fastened by a clothes pin to your top (in the same place as a badge would be worn)

Check out the bar scene

Most bars and pubs love St. Patrick's Day. One of the few holidays that are marked for an increase in alcohol consumption, many will be catering to patrons. You may find special prices on draft beer, food and cover charges. Call around to your favorite joints and ask if they have any celebration plans.

Consider staying at home.

If you aren't a fan of the bar scene but still want to celebrate, invite a few friends over and have a St. Patrick's Day themed party. Go as extreme or as laid back as you want: insist that everyone wear green or just have them come as they are and chill out with a few beers. Consider starting a tradition, such as watching a movie - "The Quiet Man" with John Wayne and Maureen O'Hara is a fun choice; serve corned beef and cabbage or Irish stew with colcannon (mashed potatoes and cabbage).

Be respectful

Because St. Patrick's Day has become a secularly practiced holiday, there may be people who feel offended by your green enthusiasm. This is why it is important that you understand why the holiday exists. Explain that you appreciate the early traditions of the holiday and that you aren't intending to dishonor those traditions - you are just trying to have fun.

Tips

• Invite your friends over for an impromptu party to celebrate. You do not need to have a planned party to have a great St. Patrick's Day celebration.

• Some people celebrate this day by pinching people who are not wearing green.

• Many Irish people play the uillean pipes (similar to the bagpipes). Maybe you can, too!

• Traditional Irish foods include bangers and mash, Colcannon, corned beef and cabbage, stew, boxty, a Belfast breakfast and praties-potatoes.

• Make sure it's not too tacky or offensive. The "Kiss me, I'm Irish" shirts are often considered distasteful in Ireland. Also, in Ireland, a largely Roman Catholic nation, St. Patrick's Day is not at all reguarded as a fool-around holiday. Especially in the countryside, where customs remain strong and true, St. Patrick's Day is more of a holy day, and much of it is spent at somber Masses in church and/or praying in the home. Some prayers may be said in Latin or Irish Gaelic. There is typically a large feast for dinner with much praying during that too. Be respectful of this, especially as a guest in Dublin during the festivities.

Warnings

• No Irish person celebrating St.Patrick's day in Ireland would ever dream of wearing any item of clothing with funny St. Patrick's Day-related sayings (e.g. "Kiss me, I'm Irish!"); they're just tacky to them. All the above suggestions as to what to wear are consider to be tacky to most native-Irish people, and is seen as something only Americans generally take part in.

• Be responsible. Whether you are going out to a bar or over to a friend's, drinking and driving is not acceptable. Select a designated driver in advance who will not drink and will be sure you get home safely. Celebrations are supposed to be happy events, and finding yourself in a drunk tank or in hand cuffs will not be a happy experience.

• Drive with caution. Though you are sober, it is possible that there are others who are not being so responsible.

• Forgetting to wear green may make you the unfortunate recipient of a painful pinch.

• Some people don't like to be pinched, so be careful!

More St. Patty's Day

• Saint Patricks Day

• Saint Patricks Day in the US

• Saint Patrick

Related:

• March Observances • Facts about March

Resources & Citations: