don’t forget to wear green so you don’t get pinched!
St. Patrick’s Day celebrated on March 17, is the day that everyone feels a little bit Irish! St. Patrick, a patron saint of Ireland, is credited with converting the Irish people to Christianity, and Patrick’s Day was originally a day celebrated with religious services and a feast. It grew in popularity amongst Irish immigrants in the U.S. before it was more widely adopted. Today, we celebrate St. Patrick’s Day as a day of festivities to honor Ireland and the Irish culture.
Although blue was the color traditionally associated with St. Patrick’s, today green is most commonly associated with the day. Shamrocks, which are the national plant of Ireland, are also commonly associated with St. Patrick’s Day because St. Patrick himself is rumored to have used shamrocks to explain the Trinity.
So often, we hear “wear green on St. Patrick’s Day or you’ll get pinched!” But why? Well, this notion is said to have originated with mischievous leprechauns, fairy creatures of Irish folklore, who would pinch you if they could find you. Wearing green, however, made you invisible to the tiny troublemakers. In celebrating the spirit of the Irish and the color green, the City of Chicago has dyed its river green each year since 1962 in celebration of the Irish holiday, and you can oftentimes find beer-tinted green to commemorate the day.
Throw your own Irish-themed party
Throwing a St. Patty’s Day party is actually pretty easy- and a ton of fun!
- Decorate with green. Green streamers, green tinsel, green shamrock garland. When in doubt, go with green!
- Serve festive green drinks. Lime sherbet and Sprite makes a fun, non-alcoholic drink for guests of all ages. Light beer tinted green with food dye is always an easy hit, or try one of these other festive adult beverages!
- Plan some fun on-theme games for your guests! For guests of all ages, try themed Bingo. If the party is adults-only, green beer pong is sure to be a hit! A create-your-own-Limerick contest is a fun, challenging way to engage your guests.
- Put together a fun playlist of either traditional Irish music or music by popular Irish musicians. Sinead O’Connor, Enya, Niall Horan… They all have music perfect for a party playlist!
- Entice your guests with a “Find the Shamrock” challenge. Print out a picture of a shamrock and hide it in a difficult place. Offer up a fantastic prize from Nutcracker Sweet for the winner!
Let Nutcracker Sweet provide the perfect snacks for your Irish soiree!
Planning snacks for a party can be challenging. What flavors or a variety of nuts or chips or fruits should you get? And in what quantities? Should you provide a full meal? Or just snacks?
Let Nutcracker Sweet take the guesswork out of food planning for your party! Nutcracker Sweet offers a variety of party platters filled to the brim with sweet and savory snacks that will appeal to your guests. Our party pleaser trays and snack gift baskets come ready to be enjoyed- no need to stress about finding platters or serving bowls. Just pop these on your table and you are good to go! (Throw a few decorative shamrocks around the platter and you’re sure to be named host of the year!)
Happy St. Patrick’s Day!
The Nutcracker Team
