St. Patrick’s Day is upon us, and the festivities have already begun. Green clothing and accessories are being donned,corned beef is being prepped, and parades are repping proud Irish culture. Kindergarteners are making traps to catch the leprechaun, and kids and adults alike are ready to pinch anyone without a lick of green on them.
But why are there these traditions? What does St. Patrick’s Day even celebrate? Sophomore Katelyn Stoughton commented that “St. Patrick’s Day is a day that’s all about leprechauns and if you don’t wear green you’ll get pinched.” While that may be true, the history of the holiday goes farther back than DIY crafts and four-leafed clovers, making it an important day, not only for Ireland, but for people everywhere proud of their heritage.
History
St. Patrick’s Day began with a man named Patrick. Quite literally, St. Patrick was a real person, and although he is a symbol of Irish culture, he was originally born in Britain. According to National Geographic, St. Patrick came to Ireland when he was around 16 years old, and he immediately took an interest in Christianity. He became an important symbol for the religion, converting many to Christian faith. St. Patrick’s Day is supposedly the day he died, and it began as a celebration to him.
However, as time went on, the holiday adapted to celebrate the Irish community as well, giving Ireland a day to be proud of their heritage. Now, parades and festivities take place around the world, including Chicago, New York, and, of course, Ireland.
The St. Patrick’s Day Symbols
So why green? Why the leprechauns? How did these recognizable symbols of the holiday come to be? Alec Reger (11) agreed with Stoughton above, saying that on St. Patty’s day, “you wear green and pinch people,” and that’s it. The biggest surprise is the four-leaf clover. As a traditional thing to see on St. Patty’s Day, it is a common symbol of luck. However, St. Patrick himself is often seen with a simple three-leafed clover.
Additionally, the holiday started out with a traditional color of blue! However, due to Ireland’s luscious, green landscape and scenery, the color was adopted into the holiday in the 18th century. Another color myth is leprechauns and their green. Many don’t know that in legends, faeries are often depicted wearing red. This changed with the holiday as well, and now the tiny men with red beards and green suits are a St. Patty’s Day favorite.
Speaking of leprechauns, the tradition of wearing green on St. Patrick’s Day is associated with the fact that leprechauns would only pinch people they could see, and they can’t see people wearing green. So next time your friend pinches you on the holiday, you’ll have a reason to tell them why.
What To Do
With St. Patrick’s Day coming up, there will be many parties, events, and activities to do to celebrate. If you’re looking to join in on the fun, Orange County will be scattered with numerous parties and gatherings across many venues, so looking will not be difficult.
If pickleball is where your heart lies, there will be a themed Irish night at West Coast Pickleball for fun matches with your friends. Huntington is also getting in on the action, hosting a themed pop-up market for an Irish shopping event. Crafts, live music and local vendors will be featured, so don’t miss out on the fun.
In addition to all these events, there are plenty of things to do from the comfort of your own home as well. Simply baking four-leaf clover cookies, watching a St. Patrick’s Day movie, or trying your hand at a homemade Shamrock Shake are all forms of participating in this wonderful holiday. Yet, nothing is stopping you from going back to your roots and crafting a leprechaun trap yourself, just in case. You never know…
This just all goes to show that St. Patrick’s Day is a fun holiday to celebrate pride and culture. Even if you’re not Irish, this day is excluded to no one. Share happy moments with family, feel pride for who you are, and don’t forget to pinch your friends!
