St. Patrick’s Day is right around the corner. In fact, it falls on Sunday, March 17! To many, it’s a time to wear green, celebrate and have an enjoyable meal — yet it seems celebrations differ between towns and even between homes. This week, the Life Section reveals how they think it’s best to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. Let’s see what they have to say!
James Fitzpatrick, SW
St. Patrick’s Day is a holiday kept prominent by tradition, yet its festivities are relatively scant. If it is not evident by my name, I am Irish, though unfortunately, I am not in touch with my roots as I have never been to the homeland. My dislike of corned beef and cabbage further distances me from the occasion and my ancestors, although I love toasted Irish soda bread drenched in butter. If Stew Leonard’s is accessible to you, that would be my recommended spot to buy it.
On that note, the Shamrock Shake and Oreo McFlurry from McDonald’s are not the most traditional treats that represent St. Patrick’s Day, but if you want to do the bare minimum for rejoicing this season, try them; they are mighty fine.
Do my plans of moving to Idaho, the American land of the potato, compensate for my neglect of Irish culture? It is unlikely, but if you are also lost on what to do for St. Patrick’s Day at the University of Connecticut, there will be a celebration on the second floor of Janet M. Blumberg Hall on the big day that could provide inspiration and ideas for future years because the holiday is going nowhere.
Clyde D’Souza, CC
The one thing about St. Patrick’s Day that always got me excited as a kid was the construction of leprechaun traps. The activity is almost always prescribed for elementary schoolers, who are charged with trapping the mascots of St. Patty’s day, using cardboard, glue, popsicle sticks and a side of wits. Inevitably, the only thing ever left behind was green dust and chocolate coins. Those were the days!
I am now in college and I feel oddly compelled to spend an inordinate amount of time trying to ensnare these creatures. Perhaps it is the broke college student in me that is desperate enough to pursue an outlandish source of funding: a pot of gold. Maybe it’s my inner engineering student that is crazy enough to have another go at a task that does not ask me to make a bridge.
Something I have always wanted to do to mark the day is to attend a St. Patrick’s Day parade. Especially here in the northeast, where Irish immigration has historically been prevalent, the culture is highly celebrated. From Philadelphia to Boston, millions of spectators watch these parades. From their extravagant floats to their crazy costumes, I’m definitely going to have to check one out soon!
Patrick Boots, CC
In my opinion as a resident Emerald Isle antiquarian here at UConn, a great way to celebrate Saint Patrick’s Day is the traditional Irish way — with a hearty colcannon (bacon and potatoes) dinner. And if you’re wearing something green, leprechauns like me won’t be able to see you!
Fairs and festivals are enjoyable, like parades in New Haven, New London and other fun events in Connecticut. If you still want some merriment in the fall, the Greater Danbury Irish Festival continues the good times and cultural connections. Perhaps you can listen to some traditional music (bagpipes and fiddle, anyone?) or enjoy some gaelic games.
Now, some good times are also had with the minty-green desserts and other fun sweets, like McDonald’s Shamrock Shake, Dairy Queen’s Mint-Brownie Blizzard and my favorite: leprechaun bites from O’Rourkes Diner in Middletown, Conn.
One of my annual Saint Paddy’s (yes, with a ‘d’) traditions includes watching the 2001 Disney Channel Original Movie “Luck of the Irish.” In this spoofy flick, young Kyle learns about his hidden heritage with some “lucky” antics along the way. It’s nostalgic for me… chomping on some Taytos with Maltesers completes the deal.
No matter how you celebrate, appreciate the little things and enjoy your Saint Patrick’s Day!
Ben Lassy, LE
If you asked me to name you all the holidays of the year, St. Patrick’s Day, sadly, may be one of the last that I’d mention. And honestly, it’s a shame because the holiday has got a lot going for it: Green is a bold and festive color (and my personal favorite), mid-March temperatures tend to warm up a bit and to top it all off, Connecticut has a plethora of parades and events kicking off to celebrate the day.
All that said, the best part about celebrating St. Patrick’s Day is the creativity involved in celebrating it in so many different ways. Like Clyde wrote, in elementary school I was grouped with other students to make a shoebox-sized contraption to catch leprechauns — that was a blast, even though teachers put fake green paint in the traps to convince everyone they caught one of the little green dudes, everyone knew it was a hoax. When I was a little older, the celebration became more of a dinner affair, as mashed potatoes and corned beef were cooked, marking the one time per year we had that meal.
In fact, that dinner tradition is still how I’d recommend people celebrate it; but be a little more creative with it. Here’s where I think some changes to the norm could help: First, St. Patrick’s Day is on a Sunday, so cook and enjoy the corned beef on Saturday night. Next, here’s the kicker, keep some leftovers to make a delicious fresh corned beef hash for a lovely St. Patrick’s Day Sunday brunch. Now, St. Patrick’s Day will be celebrated over the whole weekend, not just a Sunday with a dreaded Monday to follow it…