Each year on March 17, the United States is painted in green. The streets are filled with floats, marching bands, step dancers, firefighters, and Leprechauns pinching anyone who is not wearing green. The streets would be thronged with people waving at the parade, eating bagels, and drinking green beer. This year with COVID-19 restrictions in place, many US cities have decided to cancel the St. Patrick’s Day parade. Do not worry about missing out on the day’s fun and spirit. Here’s a list of things you can do to have a joyful St. Paddy’s Day without stepping out of your home.
St. Patrick’s Day in the United States
St. Patrick, the 5th-century patron saint of Ireland, brought Christianity to the Emerald Isle, and the Irish observe his day of death as St. Patrick’s Day. Early Irish immigrants brought with them the tradition of celebrating St. Patrick’s Day to America. Interestingly, the St. Patrick’s Day Parade practice started in the United States, not in Ireland! In 1762, Irish-born soldiers began the world’s largest St. Patrick’s Day parade in New York. In all major cities across the country, St. Patrick’s Day celebrations are a nod to the Irish American culture.
Go Green
Green is the go-to color on St. Patrick’s Day (Well, some might argue it is not, that is for another day). Wear green clothing, decorate your home with paper shamrocks and Irish flags. Get creative with your dress, we suggest you decorate your green clothing with a mix of gold and orange, but that is totally up to you. Take Chicago as an inspiration where they dye the river green for St. Patrick’s Day festivities!
Prepare a full-on St. Patrick’s Day feast
Now is the time to don your chef’s hat and cook an authentic Irish spread. Serve traditional St. Patrick’s Day dishes like corned beef and cabbage, soda bread, Irish stew, and colcannon. Finish off your meal with an Irish coffee, a classic after-dinner drink. St. Patrick’s Day is a great time to satisfy your sweet tooth or be your cheat day! Bake small shamrock cookies, Irish crème cheesecake, or a rainbow cake. Browse through the internet to find other delicious recipes to pay homage to Ireland’s food and culture.
St. Patrick Day movie marathon
After your scrumptious meal, it is the perfect time to watch your favorite movies. If you do not have a list, we can suggest some! You can try watching John Wayne’s 1952 classic ‘The Quiet Man‘ set in Ireland or the 2015 period drama ‘Brooklyn,’ the story of a young Irish woman who emigrates to Brooklyn. If romance and comedy are not your types, try watching Martin Scorsese’s ‘Gangs of New York‘ starring Leonardo Di Caprio, or the master filmmaker’s Academy Award winner ‘The Departed‘ set in Boston.
Watch virtual events
Although there are no parades and parties this year, many virtual shows will be up for you to enjoy the day in the comfort of your home. The Dropkick Murphys are planning a virtual concert on St. Patrick’s Day in which they will be performing fan favorites and some songs from their forthcoming albums. The virtual event is entirely free, and fans can donate what they can during the show. The Savannah St. Patrick’s Day Parade Committee has decided to take this year’s celebration virtual. The committee will live stream the greening of the fountain, Celtic cross ceremony, and St. Patrick’s Day mass. The parade committees of different cities have planned various virtual events to have a safe St. Patrick’s Day celebration.
Make Leprechaun traps
If you want to keep your little ones engaged on St. Patrick’s Day, then this is the perfect art and craft activity. Instagram is full of pictures of this fun St. Patrick’s Day tradition. You can make Leprechaun traps with simple household items. Get on the internet and find innovative ideas to build a trap to catch these mystical creatures!
Visit the nearby pub
We know this is not precisely celebrating St. Patrick’s Day at home, but the day is incomplete without a visit to the local pub and sipping your Irish whiskey or a pint of Guinness. Make sure you wear your mask all the time and maintain social distance. Do not worry about parking during your visit to the pub book a guaranteed parking spot online through Way.com. Hopefully, next year the parades and parties will resume.
