Do you celebrate St. Patrick's Day if you aren't Irish?

[santashelper]

I am having a hard time with this one. We aren't Irish so it seems wrong to celebrate it. But it seems to be celebrated by everyone and I of course would love to have another holiday to celebrate?

If you do celebrate, what do you do to celebrate? :irishkiss:

 

[KimD]

OK I am Irish but what I have heard everyone is Irish on St. Patrick's day. Well thats what everyone says anyways. I say go for it.

 

[luludou]

I'm not Irish but like KimD says, everybody's Irish on St-Patrick's day! and yes I celebrate! :irishkiss: Every occasion is one to celebrate

 

[oimom]

Living in Savannah Ga if you don't celebrate people think there's something seriously wrong with you.I didn't realize it wasn't celebrated by everyone until we moved to Atlanta.They went to school on St Patrick's day,!!!!! I couldn't imagine that I never had If you research it's a Christian holiday.My birth certificate says Savannah so it's a holiday for me .Mom always took us out of school and we came home for the holiday.So I'll start celebrating with my kids.I took Nigel to the Parade last year.I'll take Mya if it's warm.

 

[girlsinmo]

We usually just wish each other Happy St Patrick's Day. And make sure we each have green on some where.

However this past year we had a little elf take up residece here. He's in hibernation now for awhile. But we thought it would be fun if one of his mischievious little leprechaun buddies came to visit around St. Patricks Day.

 

[momof4]

We never celebrated too much - maybe wear something green. I have a children's video about St. Patrick that the kids like to watch sometimes. Two years ago I made Irish soda bread and corned beef and cabbage for dinner. Dh & I liked it, but the kids didn't. I might try it again this year to see if their tastes have matured. :leprechaun:

 

[Terrylee5151]

My Husband is Italian and I am a mix of German and who knows what else....probably everything but Irish. But on St Paddys day both my husband and myself are full blooded Irish.....We usually go somewhere and have corned beef and cabbage plus we always have green beer (yuck...I hate beer). I just taste the beer and thats enough for me. Oh Yes, we always wear something green. This year I think I am going to cook the corned beef myself and have a small party at home. Here is a site with some recipes one is for Authentic Irish Coffee and some Irish Toasts....

http://www.fabulousfoods.com/holidays/stpat/stpat.html

 

[ChristmasMissy]

I don't know if you would consider it celebrating but on St. Patrick's day I wear green and use food coloring to dye my water green. LoL We also have corned beef with carrots, potatoes and onions. (I hate cooked cabbage...lol) I like to decorate with too. Maybe this year I can do some kind of dessert, haven't thought about it yet.

:shamrock:

 

[KimD]

Ok I do not like cornbeef and cabbage. DH loves it but no one in my family at all likes cornbeef he sometimes makes it for himself but thats about it. Our dinner usually consits of poor man glumpkies. Which is basically glumpkies/pigs in a blanket/cabbage rolls (what ever you call them) thrown in one pot on the stove. When I eat them made the regular way I just eat whats inside the cabbage and my kids won't touch them. But everything thrown together on the stove most of us like it. I have two kids that won't eat it. But they don't eat anything.

Last year I tried to turn potatoes green and no one would eat them including DH. So I won't be turning food green unless it is supposed to be green. I have a copycat recipe for Shamrock shakes and we have those (McDonalds does get enough of my money when they have them out. I am there at least once a day during Shamrock Shake time)

Our school colors are Red,Green & White. Oldest dd which is in Jr. high 7&8 grade said that thier whole team (they are split up as Red, Green & White teams) are going to wear their team tee-shirts because they are the right color green. Kids and teachers on the team have already decided.

 

[foxpaw]

:shamrock: We are not Irish but we always wear green...our DDIL is full Irish and lives in Albany, a couple of years ago we were there for the annual St.Patrick's Day Parade...we all dressed in green and wore beads and hats and had a great time. The weather was perfect for a parade and we did drink green beer! It is great to hear all the Irish folk lore about things.

At home here, I do put out a few things and we drink green beer, well DH does, I just take a sip.

This year I bought my DIL an Irish Santa ornament for Christmas along with huge hats and mugs for their celebratiion this year. She loved it. Now that I have an Irish grandson, I will celebrate and honor it every year. :lucky:

 

[starflake]

As with all holidays, go your own way!

I'm of Irish descent, but my husband's not. He celebrates a "Green Day" (and gives me lots of love, of course :lucky: ), and I actually celebrate what I call "Celtic Heritage Day" -- to celebrate the Irish *and* Scottish half of my background.

Related to that, on Cinco de Mayo I celebrate "Hispanic Heritage Day." I'm not Mexican, and it's not what the day is about, but for me it's a day dedicated to celebrating the Hispanic/Latina half of me (while still honoring/respecting those of Mexican descent).

Whatever feels good and right for you, by all means do! You're by no means offending; as a few pp have mentioned, everyone's Irish on St Patty's! :leprechaun:

Personally, I think it's a beautiful, loving gesture when people show joy/appreciation for the diversity of life -- no matter the season/reason. Embrace it! It's another excuse to love others, but don't forget to love yourself!

 

[FrostyShimmer]

I think its okay to celebrate any holidays that don't go against your own religious, personal or moral beliefs.
I think St. Patrick's day is celebrated as both a religious holiday, and a general celebration of all things Irish.
We never had the day off school, but we always had a contest for the funniest green hat.
I try to wear green and I have a few bracelets and pins with Irish sayings. I make cookies in the shape of shamrocks and ice them with green frosting.
On the base, they have green beer for every one.
My heritage is mostly Irish, but I think I'd celebrate it just the same if I had no Irish ancestors.
In a culture that seems to love tall, tanned, blue-eyes blondes, it's nice to have a day where my pale, freckled skin and reddish hair seems to fit! lol

 

[aggy]

I'm not Irish either but my friends and I do a little celebrating. We will wear something green and wear green beads and hats. My bestfriend's husband has a great St. Patty's day hat that he wears. It's huge and say's something Irish. The funny thing is it's shaped like a mug of beer. I have a similar hat that I won at the carnival down in Ocean City, that I am going to wear this year. It doesn't have anything green on it or says anything Irish but it will work all the same. There's a small neighborhood bar across the street from their house that we go to and have the time of our lives.

 

[patteemom]

We are just the tiniest bit Irish, basiclly a American mix ( English, Irish, Scottish, French, & German). The kids usually wear green to school and that is about it for the most part. I have been thinking about doing more since my son loves St. Patrick's Day. His name is Patrick Ryan and he calls it his day. Maybe I put him in charge of St. Patrick's day plans. :leprechaun:

 

[Holiday Joy]

I'm a mix like you, patteemom -- a bit of everything including Irish. We still celebrate the day. Because we home school two of our DKs, I've used the day/week to teach about green things, rainbows, Ireland, St. Patrick, Celts, Dr. Seuss (Green Eggs and Ham), folklore (leprechauns), etc.
I found a record album (yes, an actual vinyl record! Good thing I kept the old turntable!) of Irish music at Goodwill a while back, and I'll play it during dinner. I either try to make something traditionally Irish (recipes from the internet) or serve green foods that are supposed to be green -- I don't color it green if that's not it's usual color, or the kids won't eat it.
For breakfast or a snack, we'll have Lucky Charms cereal (usually banned for being too sugary!).
We have a visiting leprechaun during the week (thanks to ideas from OC!) who leaves chocolate gold coins, green bead necklaces and other little trinkets and causes general mischief (green toilet paper, green bows on stuffed animals, puts the bags of breakfast cereal in the wrong boxes. . .).
Otherwise, around here people usually wear something green or a "Kiss me, I'm Irish!" button and wish each other a Happy St. Patrick's Day. No parades, no day off school.

 

[Frog Princess]

St.Patrick's Day gets a mention here, and the theme pubs make the obligatory effort (a bit of green decor in some, maybe a few drinks offers)- but I've never met anyone who actually celebrates it. Maybe I don't know enough Irish people!!! Then again, we pay even less attention to St. George's Day (patron saint of England). Saint's Day type of celebrations aren't really a big deal here. Shame- 'cos it could be alot of fun- and I think the cultural side of it would be good to celebrate.

 

[Rackandrollgal]

I've never met anyone who didn't celebrate it in some form or fashion. We do.... :irishkiss:

 

[Little Elf]

Oh yes...I'm part Irish so I do celebrate. Plus after a long winter of white...it's nice to see some green for a change.

 

[ChristmasMissy]

I have a similar hat that I won at the carnival down in Ocean City, that I am going to wear this year.

Man do I miss Ocean City aggy! LOL

 

[skynyrdfan]

Scottish/Irish here - I usually celebrate with a group of friends at a house party.

Put me down as not liking corned beef and cabbage either - but I will give the Jamesons a go :leprechaun:

Colleen (the hostess of the house party) has quite an array of food and drink available, and her sister brings plenty of beads, hats, headbands, etc for everyone.

As a lot of other posters have mentioned, on St. Pattys day EVERYONE is Irish! :irishkiss: