SAINT PATRICK'S DAY

 WEARING 'O THE GREEN

So, celebrating Christianity in Ireland became quite a fun holiday, aye? Wearing green hats and clothes, carrying good luck charms and shamrocks, drinking green beer, having parades and just plain celebrating the foremost patron saint, Saint Patrick. This is always on March 17th, the day he died.

 Quoted from NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC:

MYTHS BUSTED

St. Patrick was a real person, but some of the traditions associated with him and the holiday are actually myths. For instance, you’ll often see the four-leaf clover on St. Patrick’s Day. However, according to legend, Patrick used a three-leaf clover, or shamrock, as part of his teachings. Even though it's possible for a shamrock to grow a fourth leaf, a four-leaf clover is just considered a symbol of good luck.

Another legend says that Patrick chased all the snakes out of Ireland. The problem? These creatures never actually lived in the country. In fact many animals found throughout Europe and North America don’t live on the island of Ireland—the ocean keeps the critters away.

So, if you don't wear green you risk the chance of getting pinched! Some really do go all out for this holiday too! Like Chicago, the city that turns the Chicago river green to honor the Irish immigrants who came here and helped to settle this area. 

Green became the color associated with this holiday but St. Patrick actually wore blue. He taught his lessons using the green shamrock so eventually, green became the color associated with him as well. The leprechauns also were originally a different color too, they were known to wear red. Their attire became green too!

Mostly, anything celebrating your Irish heritage is what it's all about! Whether you go all in for the wearing 'o the green, having green foods, drinking green beer, wearing a shamrock for good luck (the four leafed shamrocks) or simply and quietly observing the people who came from the Emerald Isle to America to start a new life, enjoy this Sunday!

Slainte!