Saint Patrick’s Day is an annual celebration of the Irish culture and heritage observed on the 17th of March. It commemorates the death of St Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland.
The day is celebrated with a number of activities that range from Irish parades, music and dance performances, to special dishes and drinks. Here, we will discuss some of the best activities you can do to celebrate St Patrick’s Day.
History of Saint Patrick’s Day
Saint Patrick’s Day is a cultural and religious holiday celebrated on the 17th of March, honoring the patron saint of Ireland. The day was initially a religious occasion, with Saint Patrick himself having been made a saint in 460AD. By the 17th century, it had become an official holiday in Ireland and by the 19th century it had spread to other parts of the United Kingdom as well as to North America, Australia, and other countries around the world.
The celebration of Saint Patrick’s Day itself has international appeal; it is seen as an opportunity for people to celebrate Irish culture and their Irish heritage. It is typically celebrated with parades throughout Ireland and around the world; in addition to various cultural activities such as wearing green items or shamrocks, drinking green beer or whiskey, eating green cupcakes or potatoes and attending traditional music or dance events.
While some believe that Saint Patrick’s Day was initially a Christian holiday dedicated to honoring the teachings of Saint Patrick himself (or St. Patrick’s mission in Christianizing pagan Ireland), there are other theories about its origins—such as that it was created by immigrants in America who wished to recognize their own migration away from Great Britain during Colonial days. Similarly, others have suggested that Irish soldiers serving in England during military service used it as a way to express nostalgia for home while they were away from Ireland. Regardless of its origin however, Saint Patrick’s day has come to be celebrated across many different cultures—providing great opportunities for all nations around the world who identify with its spirit!
Celebrations
Saint Patrick’s Day is one of the most celebrated holidays in the world and is celebrated annually on March 17. This Irish holiday is celebrated with a variety of activities that can be enjoyed by all, from parades and music to parties and food.
Traditional Celebrations
Saint Patrick’s Day is celebrated worldwide by those of all nationalities who choose to honor Irish heritage and culture. Each year, many people join together in ever-changing ways to celebrate the day on March 17th. Some of the most popular traditional activities and festivities include parades, crafts for kids to make, shamrocks, food, decorations and parties.
Parades are a fun way to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with friends and family. It is common for marching bands and dancers in colorful costumes to line up with floats carrying Irish symbols such as leprechauns and giant four-leaf clovers. Many cities around the world will host their own parade or march in honor of Saint Patrick’s Day.
Crafts are a great activity for kids (and adults!) of all ages on Saint Patrick’s Day—it combines creativity with an appreciation of Irish culture and folklore! There are countless projects that can be crafted out of green materials; from paper shamrocks to making headbands with ribbon or creating a St Patricks Day window decoration out of tissue paper rainbows – one can never run out of craft ideas!
Another traditional way to commemorate this holiday is decorating with shamrocks – either as part of your holiday decorations or maybe even stapled throughout your home! Not only do these clovers remind us about Ireland’s long history with religious significance but they look festive up on walls or draped over furniture!
On this day we indulge in classic Irish food such as corned beef and cabbage, colcannon mashed potatoes, Irish soda bread, shepherd’s pie and fish & chips – not forgetting those wonderful desserts like an Irish coffee cake or Baileys chocolate mousse. A lot of cultural celebrations often involve plenty of drinks too so don’t forget about traditional whiskey drinks like an Irish coffee or perhaps trying out some craft beers from local microbreweries that feature some interesting flavor profiles inspired by Ireland!
Finally what would St Patricks Day be without a party? Gather your friends around for festive games such as Bobbing for Apples (green apples preferably), ‘Irish Poker’ which involves guessing the worth of playing cards while blindfolded & lastly don’t forget about throwing a good old karaoke session featuring songs like The Blarney Lassie… after all it’s only once a year – why not make it count!!
Modern Celebrations
Saint Patrick’s Day observances, which are celebrated on March 17 each year, began in the early 17th century. While it initially started off as a religious feast day, over time it evolved into more of a cultural holiday that celebrates the Irish and Irish-American culture by attending parades, wearing green clothing and accessories, having traditional Irish food and drinks, dancing to Irish tunes, and having plenty of fun.
In modern-day celebrations around the world, Saint Patrick’s Day is often noted by wearing costumes or shamrocks (a type of clover that is a National Emblem of Ireland), attending parades with floats featuring leprechauns (luck-bearing sprites from old Irish folklore) and other mythical characters from Ireland’s past. Parades in some cities are locally televised with bagpipes playing throughout the day. Music festivals revolving around Irish folk songs also take place during this time period as well.
In addition to traditional entertainment such as music or art performances related to Ireland’s past, modern Saint Patrick’s Day festivities include bar crawls featuring craft beers made by local breweries in various cities across the United States and Canada. Many countries celebrate this holiday with big feasts featuring corned beef brisket with cabbage or cabbage rolls served alongside potatoes and carrots. Aside from these main dishes that are staples at most family dinners on this festive day of celebration, other popular options for traditional fare include bangers & mash (Irish sausage with mashed potatoes), shepherd’s pie (ground beef simmered in Guinness stout reduced gravy), fish & chips (deep fried cod served with fried potato wedges) as well as colcannon (mashed potatoes that are mixed with kale or cabbage). Sweet treats such as soda bread puddings or crumbles also make their way onto tables during these grand gatherings of friends and family — either among those who live near one another or virtually via online platforms like Zoom!
Activities to do for st patrick’s day
Saint Patrick’s Day is a day that is celebrated in many countries around the world, mainly in the United States, United Kingdom and Ireland. There are plenty of fun activities that can be done to celebrate the special holiday.
From wearing green, attending parties, and cooking up traditional Irish dishes, there are several activities that can be enjoyed to commemorate Saint Patrick’s Day.
Food and Drinks
On Saint Patrick’s Day, there are a variety of traditional food and drinks you can incorporate into your celebration. Enjoy a delicious meal of corned beef and cabbage, a beloved classic dish typically served up on St. Patrick’s Day. You can add potatoes, carrot, or parsley to make your dinner even more complete.
For dessert enjoy some Irish Apple Cake or Guinness-infused Chocolate Cake. As for drinks, you could go for something on the sweeter side and make Irish coffee or an Irish shamrock tea, both of which are popular options on this special day. If you’re in the mood to go wild, try a potent pot of Irish whiskey punch with some lemon juice and sparkling ginger ale. Get creative with flavors and colors that fit the traditional green theme to bring your celebration alive!
Games and Crafts
When it comes to celebrating Saint Patrick’s Day, there’s no shortage of creative activities to get the whole family involved. From traditional Irish games and crafts to more modern activities, there are plenty of ways to keep kids entertained on March 17.
Traditional Games: Whether indoors or out, these classic favorites are still fun for all ages. Give your family a taste of the “old country” with games like Shove Ha’penny, Hurling and Shin-Kicking. Shove Ha’penny is an English version of the popular shuffleboard game involving a board and coins; Hurling involves two teams with sticks trying to hit a small ball into the other team’s goal; Shin-Kicking is a wrestling-style event where competitors kick each other with their shins until one player stops or gives up.
Crafts: Kids will love getting creative with St. Patrick’s Day-themed craft projects. There are many ideas available online or at local craft stores; some involve simple construction paper cutouts while others may require more supplies such as glitter and paint. Try making leprechaun hats or shamrock magnets out of felt and string beads; decorate gift bags with St Patrick’s Day motifs; make “pot o’ gold” bottles filled with jelly beans or coins; create rainbow streamers out of tissue paper; paint clay pots green and fill them with soil for miniature gardens!
Competitions: Get competitive on March 17th by hosting a scavenger hunt around your house or yard. Set up clues that lead from one hiding place to another in search of leprechauns (or just green gifts) when they reach the end! Also try organizing trivia contests about Irish culture, music and foods – top players get bonus “lucky charm” prizes!
Parades and Festivals
Parades and festivals are a big part of the celebration of Saint Patrick’s Day. In most cities and towns around the world, you will find parades filled with floats, bands, dancers, and Irish culture. Many people prepare for the day for weeks leading up to it. From decorating their homes to baking traditional Irish food and drinks, Saint Patrick’s Day celebrations are a time to be merry and enjoy a cultural celebration that includes music, dancing, singing and overall merriment!
Most festivals involve plenty of music and dancing, often traditional Irish music. The music is great in all styles but especially lively Irish jigs- both old favorites such as “The Eights Are All Home” along with more recent compositions such as “Greenland O Ireland”. Most festivals also involve a parade with plenty of costumed participants wearing green! These costumes can include everything from leprechauns to funny hats like top hats or green grasshopper antlers! Other popular events at these festivals include sports competitions like tug-of-war or Gaelic Football matches or traditional activities like rock-throwing or apple bobbing contests.
Food is also important at most Saint Patrick’s Day festivals because no good party is complete without something yummy to eat! There can be a wide array of classic dishes served during festival celebrations including corned beef and boiled cabbage (which may or may not have originated in Ireland!), stewed lamb with potatoes, colcannon potato cakes filled with kale or other leafy greens as well as lots different kinds of sandwiches made from meats like sausage rolls or black pudding on buttered toast! Sweeter treats like scones covered in jam are also common options. Finally there is often an abundance of delicious drinks available too like Guinness beer, Smithwick’s lager or Magners cider- so don’t forget your ID when you head out for St Patrick’s Day festivities!
Conclusion
In conclusion, Saint Patrick’s Day is an important Irish holiday and cultural celebration. It occurs annually on March 17th and is observed in countries with significant Irish populations. The holiday celebrates the life of Saint Patrick, a fifth century Christian missionary to Ireland who is credited with introducing Christianity to the country.
Modern-day celebrations consist primarily of wearing green clothing and attending large parades or festivals dedicated to Irish culture, music, dancing, and tradition. Some people also observe the religious aspect of the holiday by attending special Church services or participating in mass.
With its parades filled with marching bands and celebratory environment, Saint Patrick’s Day provides a festive atmosphere throughout much of the world every year!