How to Celebrate St Patrick's Day as a Family.
St Patrick's Day Celebrations seem to be growing bigger and bigger every year, and this year our family will be joining in the festivities and getting in the Irish Spirit too! There's a whole heap of things that your family can get involved with and I've compiled a list below - from baking to dress up, there really is something for everyone! Whether you go down the tradition route of Irish Stew and mass, or want to donn a shamrock and party at a local parade, this St Patrick's Day should be celebrated! Let me know what you get up to this year!
1. Scavenger Hunt
and hide them around the house - you can get really creative and leave clues for the kids to follow too! I'll be hiding mine in houseplants and under cushions and will have a prize of rainbow belt sweets to hand out when they find them all!
2. St Patricks Day Crafts
Crafting has got to be one of the simplest ways to get into the St Patricks Day spirit! Handprint clovers, Leprechaun Puppets - you could even make your own green hat! The possibilities are endless really so pull out all that crafty stuff you've been hiding away and get stuck in!
3. Eat traditional Irish cuisine
Corned beef and cabbage, Irish beef stew, Irish Boxty, Dubblin Coddle, Irish soda bread - there are so many exciting recipes to try! Get the family involved too by making the meals together - we'll be pulling out the Corned beef and enjoying a guinness tonight for sure!
4. Make an Irish hat
It's like an Easter bonnet but St Patricks Day! I can't wait to see the creations my children make, but once they're made I can't imagine they'll be coming off! You want clovers, glitter, and a whole heap of green! Google images have some great examples!
5. Wear a clover/shamrock
The ultimate symbol of the Irish - lucky clovers and shamrocks. Stick one on your hat, wear one on your jumper, or paint them all over your body with face paint! I'm sure my kids will be all over the face paint this year!
6. Wear green for the day
Green is the colour of Ireland and many dress up in their brightest shades to celebrate the day. How many items of green can you find in your home? Can you be creative in how you dress up? See how green you can go!
7. Watch an Irish movie
Getting tired from all the festivities and need some down time? How about an Irish movie? There's a blog post over on 'My Kid's Time' that has documented 14 of the best - enjoy!
8. Visit a green landmark
Across the UK around 25 landmarks light up in green to celebrate St Patricks Day, but across the globe there are almost 450 that do - and it's ever growing! Take a wander around your local area to see if there are any that have coloured themselves green for the event - and take a look below at the list of regular Green-Goers (there might just be one nearby for you to go to!)
Norwich City Hall, Norwich
St Michael's Mount, Cornwall
Clifford's Tower, York
Nelson's Column, Trafalgar Square
Spinnaker Tower, Portsmouth
York City Walls
Gateshead Millennium Bridge
Lord's Cricket Ground
Riverside Museum, Glasgow
Cutty Sark, London
Selfridges, Birmingham
The Eden Project, Cornwall
Leeds Civic Hall
National Space Centre, Leicester
9. Take family communion (mass)
Many Irish view it as tradition to attend 'mass' during St Patricks Day. They'll go to church and take communion together before carrying on the celebrations at home - why not do the same with your family? Catholic Churches around the UK will have special services on to mark St Patrick's Day, but you could also take communion from your own home and pray together as a family.
10. Listen to Irish music - link to Spotify playlist
Super simple and a whole heap of fun! Irish music is great - and there is such a range! Stick on some background music or make it into a full blown dance party just don't forget to include a heap of variety - there are so many bands, singers and traditional songs out there to enjoy! I've compiled a Spotify playlist for you if you need some inspiration!
11. Learn some Irish phrases
Older kids will love trying their hand (or should I say tongue) at uttering some Irish words and phrases! There are some traditional St Patrick's Day ones to learn or try the basic greetings. Google translate is your friend!
12. Go to a parade
If you're lucky enough to live in an area that celebrates St Patricks Day well, then you might just have a parade local to you for you to enjoy! There'll often be street vendors, floats, dancing, music - and probably a lot of beer! Look on local websites to see if there's one near you.
Whatever you get up to this St Patricks Day, I hope you have the absolute BEST time! What ways do you celebrate, or have you never celebrated it before - let me know in the comments!
Until next time.....
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