St. Patrick's Day celebrates Irish heritage, vitality, and joy. From dressing up in green to avoid a pinch at school to bar crawling with friends, there are lots of fun ways for people of all ages to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day.
Maybe your festivities have included copious amounts of green beer over the years, but now you want to find some family-friendly ideas. Or, you may have a proud Irish teacher, coworker, or relative, and you want to celebrate alongside them this go-around.
If you're wondering how to celebrate St. Patrick's Day this year, then the luck of the Irish is upon you. This article will give you all the best ideas, including activities, gifts, and fun pop-up greeting cards for the occasion. We hope you'll be ready to celebrate, wherever March 17th finds you this year!
How to Celebrate St. Patrick's Day
St. Patrick's Day has a long history in America. People have celebrated the holiday for nearly three centuries, from parades to potlucks to parties galore.
What first began as a small colonial commemoration of the Feast of St. Patrick evolved into a celebration of heritage for Irish-American immigrants. And today, people in over 200 countries celebrate their Irish heritage and favorite traditions on March 17th each year.
You can celebrate by attending an event, such as a parade or festival, or preparing a traditional Irish meal. In addition, you can make green crafts with your children, reflect upon traditional Irish sayings, or bake your very own soda bread. There are so many exciting ways to celebrate!
One of our favorite ways to celebrate is by giving an enchanting St. Patrick's Day pop-up card to someone else who loves to celebrate too—complete with a famous Irish blessing.
Why do we celebrate?
In 1737, a small, elite group of Irish immigrants in Boston first celebrated St. Patrick's Day on March 17th during the Feast of St. Patrick, Ireland's patron saint. Then, in 1766, the first St. Patrick's Day parade was held in New York—a tradition that still stands today.
Throughout the 19th century, more Irish immigrants traveled to America and faced discrimination from anti-immigrant Americans. As a result, St. Patrick's Day celebrations became more widespread in various cities to take pride in their Irish roots while embracing new growth & opportunity in America.
Interestingly, St. Patrick's Day became popular in Ireland due to American celebrations. It became a national holiday in Ireland in 1904. At that point, the day was celebrated with a mass, military parades, and—shockingly, we know—the closing of all bars for the day. It was a dry holiday until the 1960s in Ireland.
Then and now, celebrations included delicious Irish foods, parades, and parties. Festivals and events in America & Ireland alike have evolved from small, elite groups to larger groups of Irish-Americans to anyone who wants to enjoy Irish food, drink, and a lively time–whether they're Irish or not. day activities
Now, St. Patrick’s Day has become a welcoming holiday for everyone to celebrate where they've come from & where they're going.
What to do for St. Patrick's Day this Year
As you've read, there are multiple ways to celebrate St. Patrick's Day. So whether you want to honor your Irish heritage or love a reason to party, the real question is: how will you celebrate this St. Patrick's Day?
Our favorite ways to celebrate are with special activities, gifts, and adorable pop-up cards. Our ideas below will help you choose memorable ways to celebrate St. Patrick's Day this year, making even the smallest moments magical.
St Patrick's Day Activities for All Ages
Over the years, many who enjoy celebrating Irish heritage have come up with fun ideas to celebrate St. Patrick's Day. Here are some unique & exciting St. Patrick's Day activities for you to enjoy this year.
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Enjoy an Irish meal. If you enjoy trying new foods—or have an Irish favorite—whip up a little St. Paddy's Day magic in the kitchen. Some fun dishes include Irish stew, colcannon, boxty, boiled bacon and cabbage, coddle, barmbrack, and soda bread.
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Attend a parade. Some of the first-ever St. Patrick's Day celebrations were military parades, and still today, cities around the globe enjoy St. Patrick's Day parades. The oldest (and largest) is in NYC, and other famous U.S. parades include Chicago, Philadelphia, and San Francisco. Globally, London, Dublin, Montserrat, Buenos Aires, and Montreal all have incredible St. Paddy's Day parades.
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Drink something festive. Guinness and Irish whiskey are two fan favorites from Ireland; if you want to try something new, Irish cocktails such as a Black Velvet, Luck of the Irish, or Irish Maid. Of course, if you're celebrating with kids or prefer a good mocktail, try a green party punch, lime sherbet floats, or a shamrock shake made with mint chocolate chip ice cream. Sláinte!
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Appreciate Irish art. Visit an Irish art gallery online, such as the Irish Museum of Modern Art (IMMA) or the National Gallery of Ireland. Or, support an Irish artist via Kilkenny Shop, Irish Art Plus, or thousands of available pieces on Etsy.
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Donate to a charity in Ireland. Spread some love back to the land of your ancestors. Some of Ireland's best charities to support include the Irish Cancer Society, the Irish Heart Foundation, Pieta House, CRBI, and Jigsaw.
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Make a St. Patrick's Day craft. Whether you're celebrating with kids or on your own, there are endless crafty ways to celebrate St. Paddy's Day. You can make clay pot leprechaun hats, Perler bead rainbows, paper fan shamrocks, sparkly green slime, and about a million more magical crafts with kids. Some creative grown-up projects include mason jar art, centerpieces for your St. Patrick's Day party, wreaths, or festive printables to share with friends and family.
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Set a leprechaun "trap." Another family-friendly idea, the leprechaun trap, is a lot of fun with little ones! First, find a small container for catching leprechauns—a cereal box, sand bucket, paper grocery bag, or anything your kids choose will do; then, place rainbow sequins, stickers, and maybe even a little candy to lure the little guys. The kids will wake up to find that a leprechaun has taken all the treasures and replaced them with leprechaun coins.
St. Patrick's Day Gifts & Cards
Another fun way to celebrate is by sharing St. Patrick's Day cards & gifts with family, friends, coworkers, teachers, and anyone who agrees with the old Irish blessing: If you're lucky enough to be Irish, then you're lucky enough.
You want to share a delightful surprise. Below you will find a few of our favorite unforgettable gift & card ideas to share with your loved ones this St. Paddy's Day.
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A unique & artsy St. Patrick's Day pop-up card. A creative card can make a perfect gift on its own or in addition to a trip, gift basket, or another present. For example, a shamrock basket pop-up card featuring a basket of clover is perfect for sending wishes of luck & love to someone special, or you can send the most charming "truckloads of luck" card.
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A trip to celebrate. An experience is often the most memorable and long-lasting gift you can give. The ultimate gift for those who love Ireland would be a trip there. St. Patrick's Day is perfect to surprise your loved ones with a trip. If you can't go this year, travel to the nearest St. Patrick's Day parade.
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Outdoor Irish decor. Many online sellers have beautiful gnome garden statues that convey your special wishes of luck & serve as a reminder all year round in the garden. You can find lucky little statues & lawn decor in various price ranges that will remind your loved one of your wishes for them.
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A pop-up flower bouquet. Send or hand-deliver a unique pop-up bouquet to wish someone special a Happy St. Patrick's Day or Good Luck! It is memorable, lovely, and will last longer than real flowers.
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A personalized St. Paddy's Day gift basket. Here's a fun gift that can be tailor-made for a recipient who is nine or 99 years old. You can purchase pre-made gift baskets from online or local shops—or assemble your own. For children, think of sweet treats, themed clothing, and Irish books or coloring books. For adults, a Guinness beer and pub snack basket, Jameson whiskey with t-shirt, glasses, and coasters, or anything else that will strike their (Irish-loving) fancy—oh, like a beer pop-up card containing a thoughtful handwritten note or Irish blessing. For example, May the most you wish for be the least you get.
St. Patrick's Day has long been a day to remember and celebrate Irish heritage. It's a great time to tell your loved ones how lucky you are to have them & share your thoughtful blessings and wishes.
There are many ways to celebrate St. Patrick's Day—with gifts, activities, and something from Lovepop’s collection of St. Patrick's Day cards. But, no matter how you choose to spread the love, laughter, and luck of the Irish, we hope you find many magical moments this St. Paddy's Day and all year long.