There are some holidays that are sober reminders of sacrifice like Memorial Day. There are religious holidays that matter depending on your own traditions or how they have been popularized. Then there is St. Patrick’s Day.
On St. Patrick’s Day, everyone discovers they are Irish. You must wear green if you do not wish to get pinched. Wearing green saves you from the fairies who steal small children. Don’t argue with me. At some point you just do it because that is what you do on St. Patrick’s Day. You buy Guinness even if you hate it, and some lighter beer that you can color green. Why? Cause that is what you do on St. Patrick’s Day. When you have had a few pints, you begin to feel closer to the old guy, who after all, drove the snakes out of Ireland, and he becomes your buddy St. Paddy.
In my house, you ate corned beef and cabbage, and potatoes. And, most importantly, you made and ate Irish soda bread. Sometimes, with Caraway seeds. Sometimes with currants. That was after a long day at Disneyland. You heard right. St. Patrick’s Day was a school holiday in Catholic Schools. Disneyland had reduced tickets for Catholic Schools on St. Patrick’s Day, so our Moms would pile 6-7 kids in the car, no seatbelts, and off we would go. The goal was to get there when it opened and ride on all the “E” ticket rides. You would see every color of school uniform and every age and skin color because schools would fundraise to make it possible for all the students to go.
We felt appreciated, accepted and special for bring Catholic that day, and it was fun! And, we didn’t have to go to Mass or be solemn. We got to wear green!
I still look forward to St. Paddy’s Day and the wearing of the green. I’ll be making corned beef and cabbage and Grandma Nora’s Irish Soda Bread with a few variations of my own. So I say “top of the mornin’ to ya”. And may you reply, ” And, the rest of the day to you!” Tell a few tall tales, and you will be as Irish as they come.