Recently I went out seeking a shamrock cookie cutter. Michaels didn’t have one (or any St. Patrick’s Day decor). Bulk Barn didn’t have one, or even any green sprinkles, for that matter. St. Patrick’s Day might not be the most popular holiday, but it is my second-favourite holiday after Halloween and here’s why.
Seeing A Change of Season
Living in the B.C. interior, March always represents the beginning of spring. We might have a bit of snow left, but mid-March is always about that time of year when the snow melts enough to show some yellow on the ground. Or gold, if you wanna think of it that way.
The days are longer, too, which never ceases to bring me out of my SADS funk. St. Patrick’s Day always coincides with this new burst of energy and I love having a holiday to look forward to when I’m in a more upbeat mood about things.
Decorating
I don’t know why, but I always get a good crochet bite around St. Patrick’s Day. Maybe because Canada’s national curling championships occur at that time and crochet proves itself the best thing to do while watching curling, and after watching a day full of draws, I always end up with another handful of crocheted shamrocks. They’re easy and fun and green.
Over the years I’ve found St. Patrick’s Day decor a bit difficult to find. Most of it is pretty tacky, consisting of cheesy shirts and shot glasses. I like my St. Patrick’s Day decor a bit more rustic and typically opt to pair some green with burlap and rope. This year I went and did my mantle (featured in the header) but my absolute favourite wreath to design for my front door is the St. Patrick’s Day one.
This wreath (and basically every year’s St. Patrick’s Day wreath features this lovely set of free printable graphics from The Graphics Fairy.
Baking Guinness Cupcakes
Specifically these Guinness cupcakes. Up until Covid, I’d make a LOT of them for friends and family, as well as all my coworkers. Typically, I’d buy a big bottle of Irish cream, loading up on the booze in the icing so that when one would open the cupcake courier, the entire breakroom would small of delicious Bailey’s.
Oddly enough, not being able to make cupcakes for my coworkers for the second year in a row has been really crappy. I’ll still make them for the people in my bubble, but dang, I really miss those late night’s I’d spend staying up to treat my fellow work pals.
Having A Traditional Homemade Irish Dinner
My sister bought an Irish pub cookbook several years back, and thus started a Jones sibling tradition of having a family dinner together. We made Irish stew and soda bread and always cap off the night with Irish oat cream hot toddies. Over the years we’ve had kids, hosted dear friends and family. It’s become probably my most dearest family tradition over my green table cloth.
We typically make several dishes split between my sister and I, but in recent years I’ve SWORN by this Beef & Guinness stew.
Wearing Green
I remember being a kid and never having green clothes in my closet. I dreaded St. Patrick’s Day because people always threatened to pinch me for not wearing green, so I’d always have a hairclip or I’d put on nail polish or something.
These days, however, I’ve got enough green to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day in the most minimal of ways. And it’s always fun.
A Good Irish Music Playlist
I love playing these on St. Patrick’s Day. It’s not my normal fare of music, but it makes a good night of fun, prepping for dinner, dancing before dinner, and doing a little drinking before dinner.
I’ll never skip a rendition of “The Rocky Road to Dublin”.
Cillian Murphy
He’s Irish. And a good actor. And Peaky Blinders obviously makes for great St. Patrick’s Day viewing.
Do You Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day?
What traditions do you have? Do you celebrate the cheesy way with green beer? Or do you try to stay classy with whiskey? Do you stay home and cook or do you go to the pub?
Or are you one of those people who just wears green to avoid getting pinched?
