“St. Patrick’s Day is an enchanted time — a day to begin transforming winter’s dreams into summer’s magic.”
– Adrienne Cook
St. Patrick’s Day is a popular holiday in the US as well as Ireland, celebrated by millions across both countries. Although its observation is widespread, you may not know of all the different traditions used for this celebration.
Looking for Shamrock
Shamrocks, also known as clovers, are typically found with three leaves, but the rarer four-leaf clover can be found as well. Their rarity, a 1-in-10,000 possibility, led to them becoming symbols of good luck. Try scanning over clover fields quickly! Your brain will notice differences before you consciously do. Instead of counting tiny leaves, try looking for a “square” amongst “triangles.”
Bake Irish Soda Bread
Traditional Irish soda bread called for just four humble ingredients: flour, baking soda, buttermilk, and salt. These ingredients were historically Irish staples
that were accessible and cheap to all. In order to make the loaf lucky, Irish folks cut a cross across the top of the buns to “let the devil out.” This practice was believed to ward off evil and protect the home.
Wearing Green
Most already associate the color green and St. Paddy’s Day together but less know the history behind it. Historically, Irish people first starting donning green garments to symbolize their Catholicism and their rejection of British Protestantism and colonialism. Today, the Irish flag sports green–the Catholics, orange–the protestants, and white–the newfound peace between the two.
Hopefully this Saint Patrick’s Day, you are able to partake in both new and old traditions as you celebrate the patron saint of Ireland.
Source: Reader’s Digest
