St. Patrick’s Day

St. Patrick’s Day Greeting Card

Walkyria Paz, Staff Writer
March 11, 2019

St. Patrick’s Day is a global celebration of Irish culture on or around March 17. The day remembers Saint Patrick, one of Ireland’s patron saints, who ministered Christianity in Ireland during the fifth century. Saint Patrick was born in Britain. He was kidnapped at the age of 16 and taken to Ireland as a slave. After escaping slavery, St. Patrick returned to convert the Irish to Christianity. By the time he died, Saint Patrick had established countless monasteries, churches, and schools. Many legends grew up around him, for example, he drove snakes out of Ireland and used the shamrock to represent and explain the Trinity. Ireland and many other countries came to celebrate St. Patrick with religious services, parades and feasts.

Immigrants were largely responsible for transforming St.Patrick’s Day into this great holiday of all things Irish. Boston held its first ever celebration back in 1737. New York City and Chicago followed right behind in the extensive and elaborate celebrations. Since 1962, Chicago has colored its river green to celebrate the holiday.

There are countless traditions celebrated around the globe for St. Patrick’s day. For example, people not only wore shamrocks on their coats but actually drank them by “drowning the shamrock” which consisted of placing it in a glass of whiskey before drinking it down.

On St.Patrick’s day people all over the globe drink gobs and gobs of Guinness. The Irish stout is the drink of choice on St. Patrick’s Day. On a regular day or a weekend, Americans alone drink about 600,000 pints of the Dublin-based beer. But on St. Patrick’s Day, about 3 million pints of Guinness are consumed.

What about Leprechauns? They’re short, they’re wrinkled, and mischievous fairy-folk who have become one of the best known Irish symbols. One of the most interesting qualities of leprechauns is what happens when you catch one. In exchange for freedom, the small, roses cheek creature will grant you three wishes.