How To Have Saint Patrick's Day Fun

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Saint Patrick´s Day, also known by some as St Paddy´s day, is an extremely festive holiday that comes but once a year. It celebrates Saint Patrick, one of the patron saints of Ireland, who lived from AD 385-461 AD. He is widely credited with bringing Christianity to Ireland. Most years it is celebrated on March 17th, however occasionally it is moved to avoid conflicting with Catholic Holy week. The last time this happened was in 2008 but it won´t happen again in most of our lifetimes, not until 2160, so this is more of an interesting fact than a practical concern.

Although it is clearly an Irish holiday and a religious holiday, it is widely celebrated by many regardless of ethnicity or religion. Certainly it is not only celebrated in Ireland, as I have celebrated it on 3 continents and that doesn´t include Europe. It is also not only celebrated by the Irish as it has wide appeal, For example, I´m not Irish and my decidedly non-Irish children will be marching in a parade for the day this year as well. And finally, people of all religious denominations including those who are secular celebrate it.

There are a great many ways to celebrate it, but first let´s mention the obvious, green beer. The Irish are well known for drinking, and although this certainly is a stereotype, as in many cultures some consumption of alcohol is a societal norm. Irish Beverages such as Guinness are commonly consumed on the day in festive environments, as well as lighter colored beverages died green. Green lemonade is great for kids!

Irish food is also commonly cooked and eaten. The most popular is corned beef and cabbage, but there are many traditional and tasty Irish meals. A quick look around the Internet will lead to plenty of exciting ideas and recipes!

Parades are also quite common, often with traditional bagpipe bands such as the one my children have joined. Many locations have rather large Saint Patrick´s Day parades, as well as festivals and more. They are fun for all ages.

The Leprechaun, a mythical being some believe, also gets a lot of attention. Costumes and Leprechaun hats are extremely popular as are all kinds of Irish costumes. Since there tend to be plenty of parades and parties, costumes are simply a natural fit!

Kids are certainly not left out as many of the above are perfect for kids, and there are also plenty of historical stories and crafts that are perfect to explore

And for some more great ideas, visit St Patrick´s Day Hat and St Patrick´s Day Costumes.