St. Patrick’s Day traditions are a great way to incorporate a little fun into your family this March. As a mom of four, I love the little traditions I’ve created with my family. I’m always looking for new traditions to incorporate with each season. It’s our hope as a family that these traditions will serve as anchors for fun in our children’s futures.
A Bit About St. Patrick
Who was he, and why is he still celebrated?
St. Patrick was just a regular guy who got captured by some Irish pagans. He was enslaved for more than six years. When he escaped he decided to study Catholicism and became an ordained priest. He then was promoted within the church and returned from his home in Britian to the land of the Irish pagans. At this point he was on a mission to convert the people of Ireland to Christianity. He was successful, and within 30 years Ireland became a Christian nation. He also built schools and monasteries along the way.
He’s A Saint, Kind of.
Actually, St. Patrick is a saint in name only. He was never formally canonized. There wasn’t a formal process for it during his time. That doesn’t mean he wasn’t a man of Holy importance, just that the Catholic church was so new that he wasn’t subjected to the rigorous canonization process of more modern saints. He was made a saint based upon the popular devotion of his followers.
Fun Fact: St. Patrick was not Irish!
Three St. Patrick’s Day Traditions For Your Family
We all know that most holidays in the US are steeped in tradition. St. Patrick’s Day is no different. Here are three fun traditions for your family to start this St. Patrick’s Day!
Make A Leprechaun Trap
Leprechauns are said to be mischievous fellas with sweet beards and silly tricks up their sleeves. Their famous pot of gold at the end of the rainbow is enough to make anyone want to try their hand at trapping one, (well, at least the kiddos).
Head to your local craft store or dollar store and pick up some St. Patrick’s Day themed decor! We found shamrocks, gold coins, rainbow stickers, and all kinds of green things. Create a trap that your children can set for St. Patrick’s Day. You can make one trap, or each child can make their own. This is a fun little afternoon project! You will be able to see many examples of leprechaun traps over on Pinterest.
Cook An Irish Dinner
Head to your local grocery store and pick up the ingredients for a traditional Irish dinner. You can check out the recipe I use over here. We usually make corned beef and cabbage with carrots and potatoes.
This super easy slow-cooker meal is hearty and tasty! We look forward to it each March as a way to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. If cooking isn’t your thing, you can always find a local restaurant that’s serving up an Irish meal, and hit that up as a new tradition!
Wear Green
As a child I remember wearing green on St. Patrick’s Day because if you didn’t, you would get pinched! As legend has it, wearing green keeps the leprechauns happy. People who didn’t wear green were at risk of being pinched by the mischievous little fellas.
In addition to leprechauns, shamrocks are another reason wearing green has become synonymous with St. Patrick’s Day tradition. The green shamrocks were a symbol used to teach about the Holy Trinity. And guess what? They’re green!
Have Fun and Make Memories
The best thing we can do as parents is make positive memories with our children. Traditions, no matter how small, help anchor your children throughout their lives. Little traditions like an Irish dinner, wearing green, and making leprechaun traps are fun ways to make memories. As a parent, one of my goals is to creat lasting traditions that my children will someday carry on with their own children.
Share your favorite St. Patrick’s Day tradition by dropping me a line!
