By Semira Sawyer
LifeAtStart.com reporter
It’s that time of year again. That’s right you guessed it, it’s St. Patrick’s Day. Its promise of spring is an especially welcome relief for millions of Americans who have suffered through one of the coldest winters in recent memory.
Saint Patrick’s Day, or the Feast of Saint Patrick, is a cultural and religious celebration occurring every year on March 17th . This date is the anniversary of the commonly recognized patron saint of Ireland, Saint Patrick.
On St. Patrick’s Day it’s customary to wear shamrocks or green clothing. The color green has been associated with Ireland since at least the 1640s when the green harp flag was used by the Irish Catholic Confederation.
Green ribbons and shamrocks have been worn since the 1680s. Saint Patrick’s Day, while not a legal holiday in the United States, is nonetheless widely recognized and observed throughout the country as a celebration of Irish and Irish-American culture.
Celebrations include prominent displays of the color green — eating jig’s dinners and drinking green beverages (McDonald’s shamrock shakes), religious observances, and numerous parades. The holiday has been celebrated on the North American continent since the late 18th century.
So this year put on green or be pinched.
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