St. Patrick's Day is coming and that means green clothes, shamrocks (still green) and … well, beer (also available in green)! I know there are reasons to celebrate St. Patty's more serious than clothes and beer, but the historical reasons for the holiday are not exactly fun per se. And aren't we talking about a party? Why yes, I think we are. So get ready for some exciting St. Patty's Day inspiration!
A Study in Green
This will probably come as no surprise, but your St. Patty's Day celebration should be themed in green. That's a simple enough concept, and the execution is no more complicated. So what do you do?
- Decorations – Here's your chance to use that green tinsel you've only ever utilized around Christmas. You can also buy any number of fun decoration options from some of our party supply vendors.
- Beer – Where do you get green beer? In recent years it's not been hard to find at all. You can go to your local corner market and find holiday themed beer, but I can't guarantee the flavor of such a brew. The best way to get green beer you know you'll like is to take a beer you already love and add some green food-coloring. It shouldn't change the flavor much, if at all and will leave your suds a lovely holiday shade.
- Food – A popular dish is Irish Soda Bread. It's easy to make and obtaining the green tinge you're going for is a breeze. Just use the same bit of food-coloring you dripped into the beer and you'll have a colorful and tasty snack to serve to your guests.
Popular Irish Traditions
Another way to honor the Irish origins of the holiday is to incorporate some Irish traditions in your celebrations. Not sure what kind of traditions to use? Here are a few ideas.
- Irish Toast – No, not bread. A "raise your glass" toast! There are a plethora of traditional Irish toasts (a quick search on the internet will yield plenty) and nothing will do more to add a bit of Irish flavor to your social interaction.
- Potatoes – Yep, good ole spuds. You can prepare these any way you like because Irish and potato go hand-in-hand, but if you want a traditional Irish dish, you might try boxty or colcannon. Colcannon even has a traditional song!
- Music – Irish music in the background of your festivities will do wonders for setting the right tone. And if you're not into the traditional stuff, check out Irish rock n roll or other genres with an Irish twist.
Overall, a St. Patrick's Day party isn't a difficult event to throw. Make sure you have plenty of beer (and I mean the Irish versions of course) and a large group of friends and it's guaranteed to be successful!
Leave a Reply