St. Patrick's Day

 So, today being St. Patrick's Day, I wanted to do something a little fun. Every year, on this day, people get slobbering drunk and make you wear green or you get pinched, but the reality is, do many people even know what St. Patrick's Day is truly about? I know most people I know, don't.

 Saint Patrick's Day, is a cultural and religious celebration held on  March 17th , the traditional death   date of Saint Patrick.Saint Patrick's Day was made an official Christian day of feast in the early 17th century. The day commemorates Saint Patrick and the arrival of Christianity in Ireland and celebrates the culture and heritage of the Irish. Celebrations involve parades, festivals, and the wearing of green clothes or shamrocks, and the Lent restrictions on eating and consuming alcohol are waived for the day, which has encouraged  holiday's tradition of alcohol consumption.The St Patrick's Day custom of "drowning the shamrock" was historically popular. At the end of the celebrations, a shamrock is put into the bottom of a cup, which is then filled with whiskey, beer or cider. It is then drank as a toast to St Patrick, to Ireland, or to those present. The shamrock would either be swallowed with the drink, or be taken out and tossed over the shoulder for good luck. It is customary on this day, to wear shamrocks or green clothing, as  St Patrick is said to have used the shamrock; a three-leaved plant, to explain the Holy Trinity to the Pagan Irish.
  Modern celebrations have been greatly influenced by those of the Irish diaspora, especially those that have developed in North America.  There has been a lot of criticism for Saint Patrick's Day celebrations, for having become too commercialized and for fostering negative stereotypes of the Irish. In Ireland, the week of St. Patrick's Day is considered "Irish language week," and a lot of Irish try to make more of an effort to use the Irish language.

As for Saint Patrick, he was a fifth-century Romano- British Christian missionary and bishop in Ireland. Known as the Apostle of Ireland, he is the primary patron Saint of Ireland. When he was  16, he was taken by Irish pirates from his home in Great Britain and taken, as a slave, to Ireland, where he lived for 6years before escaping and returning to his family. After becoming a priest, he returned to northern and western Ireland, where he later in life served as a bishop, but little is known about the places where he worked. By the seventh century, he had already come to be known as the patron saint of Ireland. So when he died (March 17th,) it was made into a tradition, to celebrate not only Saint Patrick, but Ireland as itself.
     Every year on St. Patrick's Day, my mom would always make corned beef (stewed in Guinness,)cabbage, carrots, potatoes, and a yummy pistachio pudding cake for dessert. We made a tradition out of it, and I always counted on it every year. This year, as I have a husband and son of my own, I will be starting somewhat new traditions, as I don't have my mom here. Even with not a lot of money, and ingredients that most would consider "inappropriate" for St. Patricks Day, it feels nice to make something special out of what you do have. So as you down your green beer, dance, and be merry, now you can become excited over what wearing green and shamrocks really means!!!!

 

A Little bit more knowledge: the tradition of getting pinched for not wearing green, was started because people believe that the little faeries (leprechauns) can't see you if you are wearing green...but if you aren't wearing green, you will be pinched by a leprechaun.