Stereotypically, many think of two things related to St. Patrick’s Day: green and beer. Or green beer, for that matter. However those reading this, especially the non-Irish, I challenge to actually think about the reason for the holiday.
History: St. Patrick’s Day is actually originally a Catholic-oriented holiday to commemorate the death of St. Patrick on March 17, 461. The concept of the 3-leaf clover came from the Holy Trinity: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The tradition of parades did not start until after the Potato Famine in America. To learn more about the history of St. Paddy’s Day, watch this video:
What to do:
If you are Catholic, go to Mass. It’s a great way to celebrate St. Patrick as the Patron Saint of Ireland.
If you can, also listen to some Irish music. Shamrock Radio on iHeartRadio is a good station. My personal favorite is St. Patrick’s Day radio on Pandora. Jam out to some Flogging Molly, The Dubliners, or DropKick Murphys. If you’re feeling especially in the Irish mood, tune in to some Irish bagpipes: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dq3m_R3Lnu4
Feel free to research to learn more about Irish culture. Irish words or Irish Step are a great place to start.
Go to a parade!
We have a parade right in Albany. This year the parade is on March 12th (http://www.albanystpatricksdayparade.com/). Or you can take a trip and head to NYC for the big St. Paddy’s Day parade! https://www.nycstpatricksparade.org/
What to wear: green
Typically, in America, people overdo the green aspect of St. Paddy’s Day. It is all in good fun, however, it is not authentically necessary to wear all green and only green. In Ireland, it is customary to pinch whomever has not worn a hint of green. This means only a single or couple pieces of green clothing are “necessary” to display one’s Irish pride.
What to eat: corned beef and cabbage
OR make some SODA BREAD. Traditional Irish foods include bangers and mash, colcannon, bacon (boiled ham) and cabbage, lamb stew, or Shepherd’s Pie.
CELEBRATE ST. PATRICK’S DAY YOUR OWN WAY.