It’s March, which means St. Patrick’s Day is coming closer! But, before you go all out in your green-inspired attire in the excitement of the festivities, let’s take a look at what St. Patrick’s day has been all about for ages now. And also, let’s find some green ways to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, this year!
What Is St. Patrick’s Day?
Saint Patrick is Ireland’s patron saint and a national apostle; he is recognized for bringing Christianity to the country’s people. He lived in the fifth century and died on March 17, and hence it is called St. Patrick’s Day. It has been celebrated for almost 1,000 years, with Irish families traditionally spending their holiday going to church in the morning and then celebrating with a large feast and dancing afterward.
With the first parade of this holiday being held in the US in 1762 in New York City, Ireland has embraced much of the St. Patrick’s Day activities that began there. From parades and corned beef to green beer, you can’t really pick between these for the best ways to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day.
How To Make St. Patrick’s Day Green, This Year?
Before you fret about what you’ve been doing wrong all these years, let us assure you that you’re not entirely going un-green! So, beginning with wishing you a happy green St. Patrick’s Day, here are some easy, fun, and quick tips for you and your clan that will make those who haven’t gone green yet, wish they had!
1. Make Your St. Patrick’s Day Feast Green (Quite Literally)
Who’d have imagined that you can have a St. Patrick’s Day green feast that you won’t regret? We’ve all felt the shame of bingeing during the holidays. So this year, we want you to feast guilt-free, not only for your health but also for the planet. To go green on Saint Patrick’s Day, all you have to do is skip the corned beef and go straight for the cabbage. Also, starting this year, adding other colored foods like zucchini, broccoli, and avocados could be some of the best ways to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day! It would help if you also tried to source your food locally, whenever possible.
2. Go Green With A St. Patrick’s Day Garden
You already knew these tips weren’t going to be a typical St. Patrick’s Day list, didn’t you? With a tradition in Ireland of planting peas and potatoes on this day, this is also an excellent time for most of us in America to celebrate it with a “green” activity – gardening! It’s time to enjoy the harvest while relaxing on a balcony or a sunny windowsill. Get your kids and family on board to help you follow some responsible ways to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with a shamrock plant marker. It will add some extra sparkle and glam to your décor!
3. Drink Green With These Green Organic Beers
You definitely don’t want to go “my way or the highway” when it comes to good ways to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day! We know you’re excited about knocking back a few beers this March 17, but it’s time to reconsider the bottles and glasses you’ll be using. Since drinking green beers on this day is an unspoken tradition, the best you can do is avoid the dyes in them. The digestive system poorly absorbs these dyes, and we don’t want that for you, love. Instead, for a true St. Patrick’s green Day, go all out with organic and natural ingredients beers. You can always find a local brewery that uses natural ingredients to make this year’s St. Patrick’s green beer even greener.
Crack up an ice-cold Guinness to bring the bar to your backyard. And if you need more cheers, FaceTiming your buddies is always a great idea!
4. Avoid Plastic – One Of The Most Used St. Patrick’s Day Things
Unfortunately, the best way to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day is not only about green beads, glitter-covered shamrocks, or plastic tablecloths. The negative results that linger throughout the year, especially around this holiday, is that most of these are destined for the trash can on March 18. However, just because you don’t use cheap plastic decorations doesn’t mean your party will be drab and colorless. Instead, opt for felt, cloth, or metal décor. They may be more expensive the first year. But that simply means you’ll save money over time, while also investing in materials that can make you feel less guilty, after March 17!
5. Be Thrifty While Going Green On Saint Patrick’s Day
Just like the plastic décor, many cheap t-shirts are bad for the planet. We understand it can be an easier way to mark your love for this boozy holiday. But hey, these garments are far from green, environmentally speaking. So, instead of going to the conventional stores, why not try your luck at some thrift stores or secondhand clothes stores? Well, these tips aren’t your usual St. Patrick’s Day things, but they might help you feel guilt-free or have GoodGuilt. Browse through the racks at Buffalo Exchange, your local Goodwill shop, or a secondhand store to find some gorgeous green clothing you can wear all year. Brownie points for you if you find clothes made in the US!
6. Come On, Your Home Deserves Greener Décor!
Don’t let St. Patrick’s Day become just another binge-drinking holiday. Instead, think of it as your first spring holiday and a good reason to adorn your home with green decor, rainbows, leprechauns, and shamrocks. So, while you’re arranging green dishes and drinks for the guests, let your little ones unleash their creative side with the spirit ‘o the green. Gather all of the green (eco-friendly) and green (in color) items you have lying around, like books, old cloth, and DIY craft papers for the kids. They can make shamrocks out of paper, planters out of clay pots, and even paint antique glass vases!
7. Take A Walk Down St. Patrick’s Street
Once you’ve done your bit by going green with the St. Patrick’s Day things listed above, it’s time to go green with your travel as well. Of course, we understand that on this holiday, heading to the local pub or the next block to grab many beers does happen. So how about having some green food as a healthy, vegan supper at home, this St. Patrick’s day! Instead of driving or taking a cab, green your mode of transportation by taking the bus, train, or walking to your fave pub, with your drinkin’ buddies!
Plus, leaving the car at home means that after a few drinks at the end of the night, you will not only have a sustainable green celebration but also a SAFE one! It’s is undoubtedly the right way to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with your pals while taking a walk down the street, after the festivities are over!
This holiday has always been green in color, but now its now time to be green in spirit when it comes to the environment. So from all of us at GoodGuilt, we hope you go green on Saint Patrick’s Day, this year!
Also, with Easter right around the corner, here are some amazing tips to go sustainable for Easter this year!
