St. Patrick’s Day is quickly approaching, and it is a day to celebrate the patron saint of Ireland, St. Patrick. The holiday dates back to the 5th century when Patrick was first made the patron saint. It is widely celebrated around the world and fills the streets with green and orange.
Origin of the holiday
St. Patrick’s Day is held on March 17th each year, and celebrates the life of Saint Patrick and centuries-old tradition of Irish culture in countries around the world. The day has evolved over the centuries to become a global celebration with parades, music, food and drink.
Saint Patrick was born in Roman Britain in the 5th century AD, before later becoming a Christian missionary who practiced his faith among Ireland’s pagan population. He is credited with introducing Christianity to the region, and for his efforts received patronage from local kings and eventually rose to bishop status. He is said to have died on March 17th 461 A.D., thus why this date was chosen as his feast day.
It wasn’t until the 1700s that Saint Patrick’s Day began to be celebrated around the world when Irish immigrants who had moved from Europe brought their customs with them. In some countries, parades became an important part of festivities, while others adopted cultural festivals that focused on Irish music and food — such as corned beef & cabbage, soda bread, beer, whiskey, and roasted potatoes — which remain popular today. June 12th next became an important milestone when it was declared Ireland’s official independence day in 1916 following a long struggle against English rule, though St. Patrick’s Day retained its dominance as a day of celebrating everything Irish!
How it is celebrated around the world
St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated in many different countries around the world, not just Ireland. When immigrants arrived in America, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and other countries, they brought their Irish culture with them and began celebrating the feast of St. Patrick’s Day in much the same way as their forebears did back in their native land. Today the holiday is celebrated around the world on March 17th with parades, wearing green clothing, eating traditional Irish foods and drinks like soda bread or shepherd’s pie, as well rivers being dyed shades of green!
In the United States there are huge celebrations held throughout cities such as New York City and Chicago every year that feature parades filled with lively music, vibrant pageantry and popular characters including leprechauns replete in emerald clothing. American cities also host large-scaled dinners where traditional Irish dishes like corned beef and cabbage are served. Popular American beers such as Guinness Stout make an appearance too! Of course people will enjoy flagons of ale while they sing along to classic tunes like Danny Boy or When Irish Eyes Are Smiling sung by a live band or simply revel in good old-fashioned fun along to piping melodies.
In Britain St Patrick’s festivals usually involve themed events centered around music from both traditional folk ballads to modern anthems; vibrant performances from actor/singers draped in shamrocks; comedians ensuring no one leaves without a smile on their face; and even some magic shows for kids! Enjoyment will be had for all generations at these festivals regardless of whether you descend from an Irish clan or simply enjoy donning some summery green attire for a day – or even if you just can’t get enough of smooth Guinness Stout!
More recently other countries such as Japan have taken part in this international celebration by hosting various cultural events like ‘Irish Festivals’ featuring cuisine workshops held by enthusiastic local cooks wanting to share their knowledge about classic Irish fare; there may even be comedy nights to lighten up your evening complete with performances by talented dancers travelling from out of town who love nothing more than showcasing traditional jigs while clogging away on the pub floorboards! What better way to immerse yourself into local culture and connect cross continental than through experiencing different cultures true form?
Fun Facts about St. Patrick’s Day
Saint Patrick’s Day is celebrated every year on March 17th. It’s an annual event honoring the patron saint of Ireland and Irish culture. Many people around the world enjoy this holiday with a variety of activities, including painting shamrocks, wearing green, and hosting parades.
In this article, we will discuss the many fun facts about the holiday, as well as some of the free activities you can do to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day.
The color associated with St. Patrick’s Day
Green is the most associated color with St. Patrick’s Day, but it wasn’t always so; prior to the 17th century, blue was the most popular color. The green in the Irish flag and the shamrock used by Saint Patrick to explain the holy trinity was adopted over time, which eventually spread globally to become an integral part of many festivities.
St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated on March 17th in Ireland and elsewhere to honor St. Patrick, one of Christianity’s first missionaries who brought Christianity to Ireland during the 5th century AD. While it started as a religious feast day for St. Patrick in Ireland, Americans adopted many of their traditions from Irish immigrants during different periods of American history and spread them around the world over time, making St. Patrick’s Day an international symbol for Irish pride and culture recognized far and wide today!
The traditional food of the holiday
The traditional food served on St. Patrick’s Day, according to Irish tradition, is a dish called colcannon, which consists of potatoes mashed up with cabbage or kale and butter. This is often served alongside ham or bacon as well as Irish soda bread, which is made from flour, baking soda and buttermilk.
Corned beef and cabbage has become popular in the U.S., and Guinness (which originated in Ireland) is a popular drink choice for the holiday. Desserts include Irish cream cheesecake, whiskey-soaked dark chocolate mousse and Irish coffee-flavored pies and cakes.
Free activities to do on st. patrick’s day
St. Patrick’s day is a great opportunity to celebrate Irish culture with family and friends!
There are plenty of free activities that you can do to commemorate the special day. Whether it be going to local parades, playing Irish themed games or baking green desserts, there is something for everyone to enjoy.
Let’s take a look at some of the free activities available this holiday season.
Host a virtual St. Patrick’s Day party
Hosting a virtual St. Patrick’s Day party is a great way to stay connected with friends and family throughout the holiday season. By setting up a Zoom, Skype, FaceTime or any other virtual hangout platform, you can invite your loved ones to join in and celebrate! Here are some tips and ideas for planning the perfect party:
-Make sure everyone has an invitation link before the party starts.
-Have everyone dress in green attire – add extra fun by encouraging creative headgear or accessories!
-Bring out your inner Irish dancer – put on some festive music and show off your favorite moves.
-Prepare a lucky snack menu – think sweet treats such as shamrock shakes and green cupcakes!
-Organize some classic Irish drinking games such as “Snakes & Ladders” or “Irish Studies,” or simply reminisce about happy times with friends over a pint of Guinness.
-Play traditional Irish music for all ages to enjoy – classics like “When Irish Eyes Are Smiling” are always popular choices!
-End with a dance routine (perhaps after roasting marshmallows if you’re having S’mores) that everyone can participate in from their living rooms – make it something special only from you’re group to bring back fond memories time and time again.
Happy St. Patrick’s Day celebrations!
Make a St. Patrick’s Day themed craft
With St. Patrick’s Day just around the corner, get ready to show your Irish spirit by creating a unique craft that celebrates this festive holiday. From Leprechaun hats and shamrock magnets, to rainbow garlands and 3-leaf clover pictures, there are many fun and easy crafts that you can make at home with basic supplies. Here are a few ideas to help get you started:
Leprechaun Hat — Make your own wearable Leprechaun hat with some basic supplies like an empty cereal box, construction paper and glue. Cut out strips of green paper to form the brim, attach it to the cereal box lid with glue and create a hatband using your favorite patterned green paper. To give it some extra flair, top it off with a pom-pom or two for good luck!
Shamrock Magnets — For another quick craft project that you can use over and over again for St. Patrick’s Day decorating, try making some shamrock magnets. Use pieces of felt in traditional Irish colors and cut out shapes in any size or design you like. Glue them onto magnets for easy hanging on refrigerators or metal walls.
Rainbow Garlands — To brighten up any room with colorful rainbows on St Patricks Day (or any time of year), try making garlands from tissue paper to hang around windows or doorways in your home or office. Cut strands of different-colored tissue paper into thin strips, then form them into rings by interlocking the ends together. Gently pull each piece outward so they overlap along the circle’s edge and twist the ends together where they meet in the middle of each ring to connect them onto a string or ribbon of your choice. Once finished, hang your rainbow garland wherever you want to add some festive cheer!
Have a movie marathon of Irish films
Having a movie marathon of Irish films, either alone or with friends, is an easy and affordable way to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. Watching films set in Ireland can give you a feeling of being enveloped in the green country, from the bustling cities to the rolling hillsides. Whether you are viewing comedies, dramas or documentaries, there is plenty of great Irish cinema to choose from; here are some ideas for your movie party:
· The Wind that Shakes the Barley (2006): Ken Loach’s film follows two brothers who join a guerrilla army during Ireland’s War of Independence in 1920.
· Once (2006): This Academy Award-winning independent romantic musical drama stars Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova as singer-songwriters in Dublin connecting over their shared love of music and each other.
· In the Name of the Father (1993): Utilizing his uncanny ability to draw truly powerful performances from his actors, director Jim Sheridan tells a true story about an innocent man falsely accused in Northern Ireland during “the Troubles.”
· The Quiet Man (1952): John Ford directs this legendary classic about an Irish man who returns home after many years away and courts Maureen O’Hara amidst a backdrop of mischievous locals attending weekly box socials.
· Waking Ned Devine (1998): This comedy follows two elderly gentlemen scheming to secure lottery winnings for one of their rural Irish village when one seemingly dead local has left behind a winning ticket.
· Michael Collins (1996): Liam Neeson stars as Collins, one of the most important figures in modern Irish history during its struggle for independence at the end of WWI and early 1920’s; Cillian Murphy co-stars as Collins’ successor.
Fun Trivia about St. Patrick’s Day
St. Patrick’s Day is a cultural and religious celebration that takes place every year on March 17th. This special day is filled with many exciting facts and traditions, which can make it even more fun to celebrate.
Here are some fun facts and trivia about St. Patrick’s Day that you can incorporate into your own free activities to make it more enjoyable and memorable.
What is the national symbol of Ireland?
The Irish national symbol of the Shamrock is an essential part of St. Patrick’s Day, with its three leaves that represent faith, hope and love. A popular legend claims that St. Patrick used the three-leafed shamrock to explain the Holy Trinity to Irish pagans.
The Shamrock is known as a symbol of luck, but it has also become synonymous with Ireland itself; in fact, shamrocks feature on many of Ireland’s state insignia, such as coins and even passports. The three-leafed plant also appears in abundance throughout Irish artwork and literature, including Seamus Heaney’s Nobel Prize winning poetry collection ‘District and Circles’.
What is the traditional color of St. Patrick’s Day?
The traditional color of St. Patrick’s Day is green. This was originally meant to represent the color of Spring and the return of warmer days and the start of a new season. Green has become synonymous with the Irish and St. Patrick’s Day because it is their national color, but there are other colors associated with the holiday as well, such as orange and blue.
Throughout history, different shades of green have been associated with Ireland – from deep emerald to light kelly green – but all are said to represent different aspects of Irish culture. The official color for modern day St. Patrick’s Day celebrations is actually Pantone® 336C, which you will find on clothing, decor, parade floats and almost any item related to this popular holiday!
What is the traditional food of St. Patrick’s Day?
One of the most beloved aspects of celebrating St. Patrick’s Day is the traditional festive food. Corned beef and cabbage is the classic traditional dish for St. Patrick’s Day , dating back to the early 19th century in Ireland when this specific dish was introduced. The main components of a typical St. Patrick’s Day corned beef and cabbage dish include – salted or “corned” brisket, cabbage, potatoes, carrots and sometimes turnips.
Although there is no definite answer as to why corned beef and cabbage become a staple meal on St.Patrick’s Day, one explanation asserts that it was due to Irish-Americans money-saving methods from using less expensive cuts of meat such as brisket or other tough cuts like corned beef instead of more expensive depending upon their limited means in New York City during the 19th century when celebrating the holiday festivities.
Therefore, it is no surprise that Irish-American markets will be filled with corned beef orders and sales booming up to two weeks prior to St Patrick’s day! Aside from the tradition of eating corned beef and cabbage on March 17th , many contemporary foods are often served such as shepherd’s pie, Irish soda breads, green beer or smoothies (with natural color), Reuben sandwiches and potato pancakes (colcannon).
Conclusion
St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated in countries around the world for its Irish heritage, religious aspect, and fun festivities. Whether you’re celebrating with friends or family, there are plenty of free activities to enjoy on this holiday.
From craft projects to traditional Irish recipes and drinking, we’ve rounded up some great free activities that you can do to make the most of your St. Patrick’s Day.