Saint Patrick's Day Traditions

Saint Patrick's Day or the Feast of Saint Patrick is a cultural and religious holiday that is celebrated on March 17.
The holiday dates back to the early seventeenth century.  Originally, the color associated with Saint Patrick was blue. Over the years the color green and its association with Saint Patrick's Day grew. Green ribbons and shamrocks were worn in celebration of St Patrick's Day as early as the 17th century.  Saint Patrick is said to have used the shamrock, a three-leaved plant, to explain the Holy Trinity  to the pagan Irish, and the ubiquitous wearing and display of shamrocks and shamrock-inspired designs has become a feature of the day. In the 1798 rebellion, to make a political statement, Irish soldiers wore full green uniforms on 17 March in hopes of catching public attention. The phrase "the wearing of the green", meaning to wear a shamrock on ones clothing, derives from a song of the same name.

The Leprechaun Legend.   In our house on March 1, our children are served green eggs and ham for breakfast, and a Leprechaun appears in the house usually on the top of a kitchen cabinet far out of reach.  Each
day, until Saint Patrick's Day, the children are challenged to perform a Random Act of Kindness.  The following morning as they report their Random Act of Kindness they are rewarded with a gold coin. The Leprechaun observes and listens.  Each day the Leprechaun plays tricks on the children to test their commitment to being kind and forgiving.  On the Eve of Saint Patrick's Day the children build a trap to catch the Leprechaun and the put their gold coins in the trap as bait.  On the morning of Saint Patrick's Day if they've caught the Leprechaun they rub his nose and make a wish.  That evening if they've preformed the Random Acts of Kindness and showed their ability to be kind and forgiving the Leprechaun grants their wish. Kerry

Wearing of the Green.  Going to school on Saint Patricks day wearing something green was always a must as I was growing up and I still do it today.  This was a tradition that we carried on to our kids and grand-kids.  It helps to introduce them to different cultures if you discuss the origins of Saint Partricks Day.

Go to a parade.  While we were living in Minnesota we would try to make it to the Saint Paul Saint Patricks Day Parade.  It was full of floats, bands, Irish dancing, and people in green. I always felt an identify with the Irish culture.