As kids, St. Patrick’s Day was more about food and the wearing of “the green” than parties and parades. Houses reeked of cabbage, which you either loved or hated. When it came to the smell of cabbage, there was no middle of the road. It was a love/hate/relationship, and the cabbage smell would linger for days. The cabbage also caused the unfortunate bodily reaction of passing gas. You would find yourself of playing the game looking innocently around the room, as if you were not the one responsible and attempting to steer the blame to some other innocent soul.
It wasn’t until we were in college that St. Pat’s became Party Time USA! Fraternities would color kegs of beer with green dye and drink heartily. Parades with decorated floats would attract families, and kids’ faces would be painted with 4 green leaf clovers. People would also dye their hair green and leprechauns were everywhere!
The Story of St. Patrick’s Day was about St. Patrick driving snakes out of Ireland. This story presented St. Patrick’s efforts to convert the Irish from paganism to Christianity. Snakes are believed to be a concept for the old pagan beliefs rather than actual reptiles. There is no evidence that snakes ever inhabited Ireland. Celebrating St. Patrick’s Day has grown over the years with having parties, drinking green beer, eating corn beef, cabbage, and parades. But nobody celebrates the snakes! Happy St. Patrick’s Day, where everyone is Irish!
