St. Patrick's Day

Bring out your green! St. Patrick’s Day—observed every March 17—is packed with parades, good luck charms, and all things green. The event started as a religious holiday, but over time it’s become a celebration of Irish culture.

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. 

The fact that Ireland is an island means that the nation is sometimes called the Emerald Isle. But the color that people originally associated with St. Patrick was blue! Green was finally introduced to St. Patrick’s Day festivities in the 18th century, when the shamrock became a national symbol. Because of the shamrock’s popularity and Ireland’s landscape, the color stuck to the holiday.

Green is also the color that mythical fairies called leprechauns. Leprechauns are actually one reason you’re supposed to wear green on St. Patrick’s Day—or risk getting pinched! Some people also think sporting the color will bring good luck, and others wear it to honor their Irish ancestry. Another tradition includes many Irish-American people eating corned beef and cabbage on St. Patrick's Day. People also gather to watch parades of traditional Irish dancers and musicians as they march through city streets. However you celebrate, here’s hoping it’s a lucky day!