Going green means different things to different people, but St. Patrick’s Day is a green day to celebrate because we can all benefit from the luck of the Irish!
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, over 30 million Americans are of Irish decent. From parades to corned beef and cabbage, green beer, and shamrocks, Irish people appear to know how to celebrate. They dress up, sing, march, and dance with family, friends, and total strangers throughout the day!
Historically, “Patrick’s Day” began on March 17, 1631, commemorating Saint Patrick, a patron saint of Ireland, and the arrival of Christianity in the country. And it was originally celebrated with religious services and feasts. St. Patrick died around the fifth century, 12 centuries before the modern version of the holiday was first observed. When Irish immigrants brought
St. Patrick’s Day traditions to the United States, the day evolved into a secular celebration of Irish culture.
Is the “luck of the Irish” real?
Sources say the phrase the “luck of the Irish” is used to describe someone with extreme luck and good fortune. According to Edward T. O’Donnell, an Associate Professor of History at Holy Cross College and author of “1001 Things Everyone Should Know About Irish American History,” the term is not Irish in origin. He says, “During the gold and silver rush years in the second half of the 19th century, a number of the most famous and successful miners were of Irish and Irish American birth.” O’Donnell adds that over time, this association of the Irish with mining fortunes led to the expression ‘luck of the Irish.’
Whether you’re lucky or not, you could enjoy a day where you may happen upon it. Kermit the Frog says, “It’s not easy being green because it seems you blend in with so many other ordinary things.” Don’t listen to Kermit this year. It is not your day to blend, but intend to go green, so don’t be green with envy, celebrate St. Patrick’s Day simply for the fun of it all!
Happy St. Patrick’s Day!