All things green are celebrated on March 17, the day centered around the luck of the Irish. St. Patrick’s Day was initially a day to honor the patron saint, St. Patrick of Ireland. Over the years, the holiday has turned into a day full of Irish festivities and fun. 

St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, was a Christain missionary who spread the Christian religion to the Irish and used the iconic shamrock to explain the Trinity. Ireland celebrated him and his legacy with large dinners and religious services on St. Patty’s Day, which falls during the Catholic season of lent. All of the celebrations and feasts waived the prohibitions of eating meat and drinking alcoholic beverages. In the ninth and 10th centuries the celebration would consist of dancing, drinking, and eating the traditional Irish bacon (corned beef) and cabbage meal. Halfway across the world, the Irish festivities were spread to citizens in America. St. Patrick’s Day parades were customary and took place in cities filled with large groups of Irish immigrants. 

Sporting green on March 17 is a must, although the original color associated with the holiday was blue. The four-leaf clover and Ireland’s landscape filled with green scenery made the color stick to the holiday. Leprechauns are another reason why wearing green on St. Patrick’s Day is popular. The tradition is tied to folklore that says wearing green makes people invisible to leprechauns, which are likely to pinch anyone they can see. Aside from wearing green, people also decorate the environment around  them. Yearly, the Chicago River in Illinois is dyed green to celebrate the holiday. 

Keeping the St. Patty’s day spirit here at Eaton, FCCLA is hiding leprechauns around the school for students and staff to find. They are also having staff leave “I’m lucky to work with you notes…” on other employees’ doors. The day of the Irish falls on Wednesday this year and will be filled with lots of fun, lots of green, and large celebrations. “My dad is Irish, so we usually celebrate St. Patrick’s Day every year. My parents drink beer and we eat corned beef sometimes,” said Lauren Caudle (23). Science teacher Molly Maguire and her family go all out for the holiday. She said, “I have shamrock-shaped twinkle lights which I always hang up a few days beforehand. I have a whole box of “St Patrick’s Day flair” like crazy shamrock socks and T-shirts and ribbons and hats and beads (it’s like half our costume box) and our whole family throws as much of that on as we can until we look good and crazy. If you can imagine me listening to punk rock and making soda bread while dressed like a loon with twinkly shamrock lights in the background, you’ve got the basic image of my St. Patrick’s Day down.”