We celebrate St. Patrick’s Day each year on March 17 because it commemorates the death of St. Patrick. The holiday was originally a religious observance, but later transformed into a celebration not only of St. Patrick himself, but of Irish culture.
St. Patrick spent years in Ireland as a slave, and this experience eventually led him to become a Christian. After escaping captivity, he traveled the world preaching and converting people using the shamrock (a three leaf clover) to explain the Christian idea of the Holy Trinity, which is the belief that God is one being in three persons: the Father, the Son (Jesus), and the Holy Spirit. They are all fully God, but distinct from each other. St Patrick became a priest and founded schools and churches all around Ireland.
Leprechauns are associated with Irish folklore. These small, red-headed men in green hide pots of gold, pinch people, and grant three wishes if captured. There’s also a tradition where leprechauns can’t see a person if they wear green, so those who don’t wear green are visible and subject to pinching.
The color green is associated with Ireland because of its bright green landscapes, and because it was the color of the shamrock St. Patrick used to explain the Holy Trinity.
“May the luck of the Irish be with you” is a fun way to wish someone luck, and people celebrate St. Paddy’s Day by hosting parades, parties, celebrating religiously, wearing green, decorating, making themed foods, and playing games. I’ve also seen marathons held where all the entrants must have red hair.
Do you think redheads have a different vibe or personality? I’ve noticed that they seem to have bad tempers if you make them mad enough. It’s also become common to call people with red hair “gingers.” I’m with my good friend Josie Hanna ever day. Since she happens to be a ginger like me, I asked her about the funniest comment she ever got about her red hair: “It’s not your hair that’s fiery,” she said, “it’s your personality.”
Josie went on to say that she gets a lot of comments about her hair, but most compliment her on how beautiful it is. She’s also asked if she’s Irish on the regular, especially if she is wearing her hair curly. Her favorite thing about being a redhead is that she has a hair color a lot of people want and can’t get, although sometimes she’d like to dye her own. “I want to dye my hair so bad, but my mom doesn’t want me to,” she said. “I really want to get some highlights put in.”
I personally think St Patrick’s day is a funny day, because I have red hair so people treat Josie and me like leprechauns. But just remember: Good luck is a result of good planning, not being Irish!
