What is St. Patrick’s Day?
St. Patrick’s Day, or St. Paddy’s Day, is celebrated every year on March 17 with parades, parties, good luck charms, and of course, everything green! This day started as a way to honor St. Patrick, who is the patron saint of Ireland, but has evolved into an almost world-wide celebration of all things Irish. Did you know that St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated in more countries around the world than any other single-day festival? And, while it is a national holiday in Ireland, it is not actually an official holiday in America!
St. Paddy’s Day Parades
The people of Ireland celebrate St. Patrick’s Day in a very traditional way; a day off of work and general holiday festivities such as parades and parties; they do not typically eat or drink green colored things, dye a river green, or host parades at the caliber of those in America. The first parade to honor St. Patrick took place in what is now St. Augustine, Florida back in 1601 and the first actual St. Patrick’s Day parade took place in Boston, Massachusetts in 1737. The first St. Patrick’s Day parade in New York City was held in 1762 and is now the world’s biggest celebration with more than two million people along the parade route!
ShamROCK The Color Green
No matter where you are celebrating St. Patrick’s Day, the color green will definitely always be a part of it. The national symbol of Ireland is a green shamrock and the country is often called “The Emerald Isle” due to the leafy trees and grassy hills found across the island’s landscape. Mythical Irish fairies, called leprechauns, are also green! Rumor has it that wearing green on St. Patrick’s Day is lucky, because it hides you from the leprechauns who might pinch you if you’re not!
Wondering how to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day? Here are some fun, family friendly ideas!
- Wear green – Everyone is Irish on St. Patrick’s Day, so break out your most festive green!
- Watch a parade – There is bound to be a neighborhood celebration nearby, and if not, have a parade around your house or watch online as Chicago uses almost 100 pounds of green dye to color the river!
- Look for leprechauns – grab a butterfly net and see if you can find any sneaky leprechauns … or their pots of gold!
- Go on a green scavenger hunt or make a list of as many green things as you can think of!
- If you’re feeling adventurous, dye your water, your milk, or maybe even a snack green!
Whether you are Irish or just pretending to be Irish for the day, St. Patrick’s Day is a festive day to celebrate all things green!
