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Although St. Patrick’s Day is an Irish feast day celebration, it’s celebrated around the globe with beer, kisses, and lots of green!
A Little History
According the the Encyclopaedia Britannica: St. Patrick was born in Roman Britain in the late 4th century. After he was kidnapped at the age of 16 and taken to Ireland as a slave, he escaped and later returned to convert the Irish to Christianity. By the time of his death on March 17, 461, he had established monasteries, churches, and schools. Eventually, many legends grew up around him, including one that he drove the snakes out of Ireland and another that he used the shamrock to explain the Trinity.
Eventually, thanks to immigration, this celebration made its way to the United States, starting primarily in areas like Boston and Chicago where there were higher numbers of Irish immigrants.
Today, there are many traditions that surround this festive day. Here are some of the most common:
Wearing Green
You’ve got to wear green on St. Patrick’s day or you risk being pinched! Why, you ask? Great question, and for the answer I turned to WRAL, a local news station. According to their article, “The tradition was reportedly started by Americans likely in the early 1700s. Revelers apparently thought that if you wore green you would be invisible to leprechauns, which would pinch anyone not wearing green. People started pinching those without green on him as a reminder about the leprechauns.”
Even if you don’t go by the rules, you’ll still want to avoid being left black and blue by your over-zealous friends. We suggest wearing one of these green accessories to stay safe:
It’s a Parade!
With a good holiday comes a great parade, and St. Patrick’s Day is no exception. First started in New York City, these parades are a long-standing tradition. In Chicago, this parade takes place along the famous dyed-green Chicago River. You can watch the time lapse below to see it go green.
Carry Your Lucky Shamrock
Shamrocks have long represented luck, and according to USA Today:
“Legend has it that St. Patrick used the three-leaved shamrock to explain the Christian Holy Trinity. Freeman said, ‘There’s no evidence St. Patrick ever did that.’ Traditions as early as the 17th century incorporated the plant, said Mike Cronin, author of Wearing the Green: A History of St. Patrick’s Day. People wore shamrocks on their coats and closed the day by “drowning the shamrock” — placing it in a glass of whiskey before drinking, Cronin said.”
Misplaced your shamrock? We’ve got some great choices for you… although we don’t recommend drowning them in whisky or drinking them…
Guinness… Lots and Lots of Guinness
While we don’t recommend drowning and drinking your shamrock cufflinks, Guinness is a whole different story. According to Guinness in an email to USA Today there are over 3 million pints of the drink downed on St. Patrick’s Day! And that’s just in America… That’s a lot of beer! And, if you’re going to drink it, you should make sure you’re doing it right. Guinness recommends that you “tilt the glass at 45 degrees when pouring until it is three-quarters full, then let the beer settle before filling the glass completely to the top.”
As always, celebrate responsibly, and if you need help finding the perfect gift or perfect accessory for St. Paddy’s Day, give our friendly support leprechauns a call. They make magic happen!
