Over the years, I’ve noticed that certain holidays have become more popular in our part of the country. Cinco de Mayo is one of them. Think about it: Were you celebrating this holiday (to commemorate the Mexican Army’s victory over the French Empire at the Battle of Puebla, on May 5, 1862) a couple of decades ago?
St. Patrick’s Day is another holiday that has grown exponentially in the past few decades.
It has always been a big celebration in other parts of the country, namely the northeast, but now you’ll see St. Paddy’s events everywhere. Parades are a big thing. The New York City parade is the largest in the country, followed by Chicago and then Boston. But guess what? Savannah, GA, is next on that list!
Yay for that! We should all be on the lookout for a good excuse to have some Fun (that is, after all, one of the 7 F’s of True Success).
Lots of people are on board with this.
The World’s Holiday
The Irish have observed this day (March 17) as a religious holiday for more than a thousand years, and many other countries have followed suit. There’s a saying that “everyone is Irish on St. Patrick’s Day,” and maybe that’s not too far off the mark. Irish-Americans are the second largest group in our country based on nationality or ancestry.
In fact, some 35 million Americans list their heritage as Irish—this is seven times the population of Ireland today! So little wonder that there will be parties throughout the U.S. on Sunday.
This holiday actually marks the anniversary of St. Patrick’s death in the 5thcentury. While he didn’t really banish all the snakes from Ireland, he did help Christianize that country. And St. Patrick remains one of Christianity’s most widely known figures.
Time for a Party
So today, take a cue from your Irish friends, who like to say: “There are only two kinds of people in the world—the Irish and those who wish they were Irish.”
In that spirit, have some fun. Wear green while you drink your green beverage of choice. Eat some corned beef and cabbage. Dance a little, live a lot and spread some joy around.
Happy St. Paddy’s Day to you! May your blessings outnumber the shamrocks that grow, and may trouble avoid you wherever you go!