How to Celebrate St Patrick's Day?
St. Patrick's Day is a religious and cultural holiday dedicated to the patron saint of Ireland, celebrated on March 17. On St. Patrick's Day, cities hold mass activities with dancing and singing.
In addition, on this day, it is customary to wear clothes of green color and things with the image of a clover, which symbolizes the Holy Trinity. It is worth noting that on St. Patrick’s Day, despite fasting, restrictions on food and alcohol consumption are relaxed.
Still thinking about how to celebrate St. Patrick's Day in an interesting, meaningful, and traditional way? Read on and our article will help you make the right choice!
Wear Green!
The St. Patrick's Day celebration is quite an important event for many fashionistas. Everyone wants to stand out and be unique. Here it's important to understand there are no complicated rules. Themed clothing is very popular - you can buy something and wear it proudly.
Here are some ideas of what you can wear to celebrate St. Patrick's Day 2023:
A green sweatshirt with bizarre Irish-themed lettering, such as "Kiss Me, I'm Irish!". However, at the fair, you can buy other clothes with symbols of the holiday. And if you want to have more fun, we have a cool idea for you - find a leprechaun costume.
We also realize that some people may be working on March 17, but we have some cool ideas for you too. You could wear something green. For example, you could wear a green shirt. If you wear a tie at work, you could find a green one or one with shamrock patterns.
Don't Forget to Accessorize
All you need to know is that according to St. Patrick's Day traditions, nothing will look weird.
Some modestly pin a little shamrock bouquet to their clothes, and some paint their entire face with safe face paints. Even pets are painted green, and no one questions a green dog!
Also, at this time, all girls have a unique opportunity to get a manicure in the St. Patrick's Day tradition.
Go to Irish Culture
On St. Patty's Day 2023, there will be more green around. From Dublin to Sydney, from New York to Beijing, streets are decked out in green; clothes, beer, cars, house walls, and even the faces of celebrants turn green. And all in the name of one man who lived a thousand and a half years ago.
From a historical perspective, the person and deeds of St. Patrick are confirmed by many credible testimonies and documents. But was he the "patron saint" of beer and leprechauns?
Patrick was never a brewer. Moreover, in the old days, during the St. Patrick’s Day celebration in Dublin and throughout Ireland, all pubs were closed and all churches were open. Also, Patrick was not Patrick at all. That was not his real name.
Learn a little of St Patrick’s Day History
Succat Mavin (real name) was born around 385. The boy showed little interest in religion; his faith awakened at the age of 16 when he was sold into slavery. Six years later, Patrick escaped to Britain, where he chose the path of a priest and was named Patricius. At the age of 40, he returned to Ireland, but already as a missionary, and devoted his life to bringing the Irish pagans to Christianity.
St. Patrick died on March 17, 461. St. Patrick is steeped in legend. The most famous is how he drove the serpents from the Emerald Isle, although there is no evidence that there were snakes in Ireland at the time.
Read more about St. Patrick’s Day History by follow the link.
Learn to Irish Dance
Do you already have St. Patrick's Day party ideas? What about dancing? The most popular type of dance during St. Patrick's Day celebrations is Irish set dancing.
Irish set dances are Irish solo dances performed in stiff shoes to specific tunes.
The common traits in all Irish sets are:
- a fast tempo,
- rhythmic steps,
- ease of movement.
There are no strict standards in terms of technique - the main thing is the harmonious relationship between men and women in the dance.
Today, if you are not a professional, you can try these dances with friends. After all, during the celebration, you can pay attention to the beer-drinking men who are jokingly trying to repeat the dance.
You can always watch training videos on the Internet and impress everyone with your skills.
Play Irish Music
If you have already chosen a themed costume for St. Patrick's Day celebrations and gathered a cheerful company, we offer you characteristic national Irish music, which is sure to give you a sense of celebration and provide positive emotions.
The Irish atmosphere can be created by folk music, Celtic tunes, and traditional pub songs.
You can listen to a selection that we liked a lot on Youtube, in a 2-hour version.
Watch an Irish Classic Movie
If you've gotten used to spending the holiday at home over the past 2 years, that's no problem. We've got St. Patrick's Day ideas for your home celebration. We have made a small selection of films if you decide to celebrate at home:
- The Bachelor Weekend. One of the main characters, Fionan, decides to spend time with his friends. They plan to spend that time the Irish way with drinking and crazy partying! But in addition to having fun, they learn a lot about each other.
- Brooklyn. The story of Ellis Lacey, who leaves her village in search of work in America. She settles in Brooklyn and adjusts to her new life. She falls in love. But she is forced to return to the village, where she meets another man. The heroine is forced to make a difficult choice.
- The Guard. Sergeant Jerry Boyle's life is all about girls, booze, and jokes. But an FBI agent shows up in Dublin and asks for his help catching a gang of drug dealers. Will they be able to work together?
Attend a Parade
Not sure what to do on St. Patty's Day 2023? Take a walk to the parade!
The St. Patrick's Day Parade in Dublin is the most famous St. Patrick's Day parade in Ireland. The tradition of having a parade originated in Dublin back in 1931.
In 1995, the Irish government decided to establish a special festival on the occasion of the holiday to promote Irish culture.
The St. Patrick's Day Parade in Dublin runs through the historic center of the city. The parade is incredibly colorful and packed with all kinds of performances.
Of course, the main color of the parade is green and all its shades. And the green was found everywhere: from the decorations of the balloons to the costumes and makeup of the parade participants.
Travel to Irish
What activities are you planning for St. Patrick's Day? I don't think you've ever thought about going to Ireland, but you should!
With St. Patty's Day approaching in 2023, many have begun to organize interesting tours to Ireland. Why? Simple, it's an opportunity to walk in one of the most buzzing events of 2023 - the St. Patrick's Day Parade and Festival.
But what else is there to visit in Dublin on March 17 and more? We've prepared a must-see list for you around Dublin:
- The Temple Bar - one of Dublin's oldest neighborhoods. The fun never stops here, and on St. Patrick's Day, it gets even bigger.
- Dublin Castle - was built in the 13th century to protect the city. Currently used by the government for official receptions.
- Trinity College - one of the oldest and most prestigious universities. Here you can see the legendary Book of Kell.
Drink and Eat Irish
Even though St. Patrick's Day falls on Lent, it is customary to eat meat on this day. The main thing is to have plenty of green on the table.
And, of course, on March 17, everyone drinks Irish beer and whiskey.
The Leprechaun is an ancient Irish character. If you catch him, you can find out where his pot of gold is hidden. Nowadays, however, leprechauns often raffle off beer or whiskey in celebration between guests.
Popular St Patrick’s Day Drinks
Green beer is considered a traditional drink for St. Patrick's Day. In addition to green beer, ales and dark beers are also consumed.
Another drink that many people drink on St. Patrick's Day is whiskey. Before drinking it, you should put a shamrock in the glass - thus, you will attract success and good luck.
As for the pubs, there are a lot of them here. Wherever you go that day, you will enjoy the festive atmosphere. We have made a small selection of the most popular pubs on this day:
St Patrick’s Day Food
The food for St. Patrick's Day has never been rigidly defined anywhere. In general, traditional Irish foods are potatoes, meat, and beer. Caloric, simple, nourishing, and very tasty.
Here's a small selection of foods for St. Patrick's Day:
- Irish Meat Stew (beef): lots of meat, potatoes, and everything is thick, flavorful, rich, and draughty. Click here to find out how to cook real Irish dishes.
- Beef stew in beer: Beef stews for a long time and then is savored - slices of rustic bread are dipped in a thick, flavorful sauce, topped with meat, and enjoyed the flavors. Here is a wonderful recipe.
- Irish mashed potatoes: You won't astonish many people with mashed potatoes, but if you cook them the Irish way, you can expect your friends to be amazed. The recipe you will find here.
If you want to visit local places, we recommend The Quays Irish Restaurant. The dishes of Irish cuisine are prepared here, so you will appreciate them. A pleasant bonus will be democratic prices and friendly staff. Nearby is the Quays Bar.
Give a Gift!
I think almost everyone loves both receiving gifts and giving them. So, make your family and friends a surprise in the form of a nice gift in honor of St. Patty's Day 2023.
On popular online sites like Amazon, you can type "St Patrick Day" into a search and the query will show thousands of gift options.
If you have the time and desire, you can make gifts with your own hands. We found a couple of videos with DIY decorations for St. Patrick's Day.
There are also options for original gifts. For example, have you ever received a gift of green roses? Imagine how nice it would be to receive flowers as a gift, and even green ones in honor of the holiday.
FAQs
Why is St. Patrick's Day celebrated?
This day is a celebration of Ireland's cultural heritage as a whole.
What is the true meaning of St. Patrick's day?
A religious holiday celebrating St. Patrick and the arrival of Christianity in Ireland.
Why do we wear green on St. Patrick's Day?
Green symbolizes life and the victory of spring over winter. And also the victory of Christianity over paganism.
Why is the leprechaun a symbol of St. Patrick's Day?
Leprechauns are believed to be wizards and could grant wishes.
What food is traditionally eaten on St. Patrick's Day?
There is no specific menu that should be prepared. Everyone chooses dishes according to their abilities and taste.
What do you drink on St. Patrick’s Day?
They traditionally drink green beer, whiskey. As well as dark beers and ales.
Conclusion
It doesn't matter at all how you decide to spend this year's holiday at the parade or at home watching movies. We're sure you'll find something interesting on our list, whether it's new food or music. The most important thing is that you are the one who enjoys your time on the day.