Saint Patrick’s Day – Origins, Traditional Foods, and Symbols
Every year, March 17 is observed as St. Patrick’s Day to commemorate the patron saint of Ireland. This year it will take place on Friday. Traditionally, it is a day to honor Irish culture and relationships. Some states celebrate it as a federal holiday. People celebrate the day by participating in parades, wearing green clothes, eating green-colored food, and drinking. Many celebrate at home preparing feats or visit restaurants that hold large Irish-themed parties.
St. Patrick’s Day celebrations
Cities across the country celebrate St. Patrick’s day with parades, food, drinks, and green costumes. The day is not a celebration only for Irish descendants but for everyone.
Symbols of St. Patrick’s Day
People use St. Patrick’s Day symbols as part of the celebrations. Each symbol has a very significant meaning. They are:
- Shamrock – It is the national flower of Ireland.
St. Patrick’s Day costume ideas
St. Patrick’s Day is observed by wearing green costumes; there is a belief that those who don’t wear green may be pinched by invisible leprechauns. The most popular dress choices are green suits, skirts, and tees. You can choose a green accessory if you want to avoid wearing a dress. It could be a hat, sunglasses, jacket, shirt, socks, or necklace. Most brands and e-commerce sites offer everyone a range of quirky, fun, and cute green costumes, which include themes like a witch, fairy, pirates, cheerleaders, rabbits, and Leprechaun. Those who want to create something as an accessory on the dress can opt for these fun DIY ideas.
- Green infinity scarves with gold shamrock embroidery
- Green bows with gold shamrock flowers
- Hand-painted shamrock T-shirt with shamrock
- Green color shamrock headbands
- Shamrock button covers
- Green glitter in boots
- Shamrock flower pins
- Shamrock appliques for your family’s shirts and tops
- Green color party hats
- A green color cord with a Celtic knot as a belt
Traditional foods for St. Patrick’s day
Homemade corned beef with cabbage, boiled potatoes, and carrots are the main dishes for St. Patrick’s day. Green beer, cocktails with crème de menthe, and coffees with peppermint syrup are some popular beverages people relish. Some of the widely sold and Irish-inspired popular food and recipes for St. Patrick’s day include soda bread, chocolate whoopie pies, colcannon with mashed potatoes and greens, Guinness beef stew, potato leek soup, cheddar beer fondue, shepherd’s pie, full Irish breakfast, Irish coffee, flat white martini, and Jameson cocktails.
F&B deals on St. Patrick’s day
Since St. Patrick’s day is all about food, music, and fun, restaurants and chains offer exciting deals to satisfy and attract customers across borders. Irish bars, restaurants, and chains offer some of the best deals. If you are looking for lucrative F&B deals on St. Patrick’s Day, you can expect the following offers this year:
- Krispy Kreme – Free green donuts (till stock lasts)
- Sonic Corn Dog – Half-price offer
- Arby’s – 15% cash back on the seasonal Mint Chocolate Shake
- Del Taco – Free guacamole on St. Patrick’s Day
- Noodle’s & CO – Grab a BOGO offer on salads and veggie-based noodles.
- Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill & Bar – Get $5 on cocktails.
- Bar Louie (70 locations) – Get $3 Jameson Irish Whiskey sidecars and green beer.
- Dog Haus – Discounts on their Jameson cocktails
- A month-long celebration in Bennigan’s, an Irish-themed restaurant chain with a menu curated specially for St. Patrick’s day along with green beer and Irish Whiskey and beer.
- Chili’s Grill & Bar – Enjoy a $5 Lucky Jameson cocktail.
- Northern Brewer – Offers a sale on Irish extracts.
- McCormick and Schmick Seafood Restaurants Inc – Offers a special holiday menu in all its locations, including $6 fish and hips, $6 Guinness Mussels, $6 Corned beef sliders, $6 corned beef and cabbage, and five specialty St. Patrick’s Day-themed cocktails.
