St. Patrick's Day

St. Patrick's Day - March 17

St. Patrick's Day 2011 will be celebrated on Thursday, March 17. Although this celebrated holiday is known worldwide, many people don't have a lot of knowledge about the occasion's origins nor the man whom the day honors.

    

Most people think of St. Patrick's Day as a Catholic holiday, but over time, it has become one recognized by most faiths. Not much is known about St. Patrick's early life. His family was wealthy, and his ancestry was Romano-British. Both his grandfather and father served as deacons in the Roman Catholic Church.

History has it that Patrick was captured as a teenager by Irish raiders to be carried to Ireland in slavery. The exact area of Ireland where he was taken is unknown, but it was on the west coast. In a dream, God told Patrick to run from his captors to the coast and get on a ship sailing to Britain. Things worked out just as portrayed in the dream, and there Patrick studied for the priesthood.

Happy St. Patrick's Day with shamrock clover by GOLDENJACKAL

Happy St. Patrick's Day with shamrock clover by GOLDENJACKAL

Happy St. Patrick's Day with shamrock clover by GOLDENJACKAL

In 432, 26 years after his captivity, Patrick reported that God called him to return to Ireland to carry the Gospel to the Irish. He stayed in Ireland for almost 30 years until his death in 461. He was buried at what is now called Downpatrick (Patrick's stronghold). It was the town of Down, which  lies 33 km south of Belfast. The topic of the 2004 St. Patrick's Symposium was "Talking Irish," during which the nature of Irish identity, economic success and the future was discussed. Since 1996, there has been a greater emphasis on celebrating and projecting a fluid and inclusive notion of "Irishness" rather than an identity based around traditional religious or ethnic allegiance. The week around St. Patrick's Day usually involves Irish speakers using more Irish during ''seachtain na Gaeilge'' ("Irish Week").

Legend has it that Patrick taught the trinity by illustrating it through the shamrock or three-leaf clover. That is why the shamrock has remained a part of the St. Patrick's Day tradition. Blue was the original color for St. Patrick's Day, but green evolved partially because of the shamrock. Although other dignitaries served in Ireland on similar missions, Patrick remains the most prolific to the Irish Church and people. 

The popular term "wearing of the green" was coined during an uprising in 1798. Soldiers wore green uniforms on March 17 of that year to gain attention for their cause. The term is used more often today to mean the placement of a shamrock on the clothing.

Erin go braless Happy St. Patrick's Day by GOLDENJACKAL
Browse Cheryl hall T-Shirts

Celtic Invaders. Happy St. Patrick's Day. clover by GOLDENJACKAL

Leprechaun Invaders. Happy St. Patrick's Day by GOLDENJACKAL

St. Patrick's Day became an official Catholic Feast Day in the 17th century, although Irish in Europe were celebrating the St. Patrick's feast day as early as the 9th or 10th centuries. Over time, this evolved in Ireland as a celebration of Irish heritage and culture. Today, the celebration has become a recognized public holiday in Northern Ireland, Newfoundland, Labrador, Montserrat, and the Republic of Ireland.

The large number of Irish immigrants who have relocated to other parts of the world has led to the proliferation of St. Patrick's Day worldwide. Although it is not an official holiday in the United States, you wouldn't know it by observing the many festive parties, parades, and events associated with the day, especially in the northeastern sections of the country.

The Chicago River is dyed green in celebration of St. Patrick's Day each year, and the White House fountain followed suit with green water in the years 2009 and 2010. Pubs and taverns offer green beer and Irish whiskey. There is also the long standing tradition to pinch anyone caught not wearing something green on the celebrated day.

Other symbols associated with St. Patrick's Day include the leprechaun, a pot of gold, the Celtic cross, and the blarney stone. 

Information provided from http://www.greetingcarduniverse.com/holidays/stpatricksday.asp 

Happy St. Patrick's Day with Irish flag add photo by GOLDENJACKAL

Leprechaun Invaders. Happy St. Patrick's Day by GOLDENJACKAL

Happy St. Patrick's Day with shamrock clover green by GOLDENJACKAL

Happy St. Patrick's Day with shamrock add photo by GOLDENJACKAL

The amazing video below is from St. Patrick's Day 2011 at Central Station. Sydney, Australia. A group of over 100 Irish dancers gathered to surprise all the commuters.

St. Patrick's Day Recipes

Steak and Guinness Pie

Ingredients

Serves: 6

• 675g diced braising steak
• salt and freshly ground pepper
• 2 heaped teaspoons of plain flour
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 onion, peeled and diced
• 1 carrot, peeled and diced
• 4 sticks of celery diced (about 15cm each)
• 1 small handful of fresh herbs (rosemary, thyme, bay leaf)
• 1 (500ml) bottle of Guinness
• 2 (400g) tins of chopped tomatoes
• 1 (500g) packet of puff pastry
• 1 egg, beaten

Preparation method

Prep: 10 minutes | Cook: 2 hours 45 minutes

1.

Season your beef well with the salt and pepper to taste, sprinkle with flour and toss around until coated.

2.

Heat the olive oil in a large casserole type pot and fry your meat until well browned.

3.

Add the onion and fry for one more minute, then add celery, carrots and fresh herbs. Cook for a further 5 minutes then pour in the Guinness.

4.

Add the tinned tomatoes; bring to the boil. Stir well, then simmer for 2 hours or until the meat is tender.

5.

The sauce should be nice and thick with a seriously tasty flavour. Season with salt and pepper.

6.

To make the pies, preheat the oven to 190 degrees.

7.

Put the meat filling into a large baking dish or 6 ramekins.

8.

Roll out pastry and line the baking dish or ramekins, making sure the pastry is slightly bigger than the circumference of the dish/dishes.

9.

Brush the rims of your dish/dishes with beaten egg, then place the pastry on top, squashing the extra pastry on the outside of the dish to secure. Lightly score the top of the pastry in a criss-cross fashion and brush with more egg.

10.

Place on a baking tray (to catch the drips) and bake in the middle of the preheated oven for 45 minutes until golden and bubbling.

11.

Let it cool down for 10 minutes before you dig in.


    


Irish Cream Truffle Fudge

 Ingredients

Serves: 24

• 625g chocolate chips
• 185g white chocolate chips
• 60g butter
• 375g (2¼ cups) icing sugar
• 250ml (1 cup) Irish cream liqueur
  
• For the topping
• 375g (3 cups) chopped nuts
• 185g dark chocolate chips
• 100g (3¾oz) white chocolate chips
• 4 tablespoons Irish cream liqueur
• 2 tablespoons butter

Preparation method

Prep: 1 hour 15 minutes | Cook: 30 minutes

1.

Butter a 20cm square baking tin.

2.

In the top half of a double boiler or bowl over simmering water melt dark and white chocolate chips plus 50g butter until soft enough to stir.

3.

Stir in the icing sugar and Irish cream until mixture is smooth. Stir in nuts. Place mixture in the prepared tin and lay a sheet of plastic wrap over the top; press and smooth top down.

4.

To make the topping: In the top half of a double boiler (or bowl over simmering water or in the microwave) melt remaining chocolate chips until soft. Remove from heat and with a fork beat in the butter and Irish cream until smooth.

5.

Spread topping over cooled fudge with a knife. If a smooth top is important place cling film over the top. Refrigerate until firm, 1 to 2 hours at least. This fudge can be easily frozen.

Irish Coffee

Ingredients

Serves: 1

• 30ml (1 nip) Irish cream liqueur
• 30ml (1 nip) Irish whiskey
• 250ml (1 cup) hot brewed coffee
• Whipped cream and ground nutmeg for topping

Preparation method

Prep: 2 minutes

1.

Combine Irish cream and Irish whiskey in a small jug then pour into individual mugs. Fill mug with coffee. Top with whipped cream and a dash of nutmeg.

Beef and Guinness Irish Stew

Ingredients

Serves: 6

• 1 kg chuck steak, cut into cubes
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons plain flour
• freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper
• 2 large onions,peeled and chopped
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 375ml stubby of Guinness or any stout
• 2 cups chopped carrot (about three medium carrots)
• 1 sprig fresh thyme
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley for garnish

Preparation method

Prep: 30 minutes | Cook: 3 hours

1.

Toss the meat cubes with 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil. In a separate bowl, stir together the flour, salt, pepper and cayenne pepper. Roll the meat in this to coat.

2.

Heat the remaining oil in a deep frypan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the meat and brown on all sides. Add the onions, and garlic.

3.

Stir the tomato paste into a small amount of water to dilute then pour into the pan,stirring to blend.

4.

Reduce the heat to medium, cover and cook for 5 minutes.

5.

Pour ½ cup of the beer into the pan, and as it begins to boil, scrape any bits of food from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon.

6.

Pour in the rest of the beer, and add the carrots and thyme. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 2 to 3 hours, stirring occasionally.

7.

Taste and adjust seasoning before serving. Garnish with chopped parsley.


Provided from: allrecipes.com.au 

Bacon and Cabbage

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 250g sm. Bacon (for 1 serving)
• 1 large green curly cabbage leave
• 200g shredded green cabbage
• 1 onion diced
• 2cloves of garlic chopped
• 1/2 red pepper sliced
• 20g chopped ginger
• 1/2 chopped chilli
• 100g chopped parsley
• 50ml cream
• 50g butter
• 1/2 glass of white wine
• 2 tblspn honey
• 1 tblspn wholegrain mustard
• Cling film

 Method

1. So off we go!! You get your bacon; your butcher will trim it down for you. Put a pot on with water and bring it to the boil (keep hot when finished this part), put a bit of salt in and then pop the cabbage in. Cook for 2mins take it out and cool it down in cold water this we stop it cooking any further.
2. Next in a hot frying pan bang in the onion, garlic, chilli and ginger. Cook for 1min, and then add the peppers and cabbage. Cook for about 7mins.Keep on stirring cabbage and add ? a glass of wine. Add salt & pepper and ? the parsley. Remove from pan and allow to cool.
3. Now you are going to need your pan again so get it cleaned and hot . Add some olive oil to your pan when hot. Cook the bacon evenly on all sides, coat bacon with honey and mustard while in the pan, now add ? of the wine you have left into the pan, this will help glaze the bacon. Next put the bacon into the oven on a baking tray, at around 180-200, and cook for 15mins.
4. Bring the hot water back to the boil and while this is happening we'll finish the cabbage. On a flat surface put a piece of cling film a bit bigger than the cabbage leaf. Place the cabbage leaf on top and now spoon the cabbage mixture in about 2-3 dessert spoons. Fold in the sides of the cabbage leaves covering part of the mixture. Now fold the top of the cabbage over pulling back slightly and roll into a sausage shape. Roll in the cling film tie the ends and pop into the boiling water and cook for 5mins.
5. Remove bacon from the oven and allow to rest for a few minutes. While this is happening put a drop of olive oil and some diced onion and garlic into the pan.Give it a bit of a stir around and then in with the rest of the wine.Reduce it down as it starts bubbling.Then add the cream and the wine and reduce by half. To finish stir in the butter to thicken and glaze your sauce.
6. To serve just remove cabbage roll from cling film and cut in ? and place in the center of your plate. Then add a bit of sauce around the 2 halves of cabbage and now just place bacon on top of the cabbage. Now that's going to taste good and even better because you made it. Enjoy.

 recipe from: http://www.lifestylefood.com.au

Clover Cupcakes

Ingredients

• Cupcake batter
• Cupcake tins and liners
• Aluminum foil
• White frosting

• Green food coloring
• Toothpick
• Green licorice (we used Twizzlers Rainbow Twists sold in a pack with other colors)

Instructions

1. Place paper liners in 32 standard muffin cups, then fill each halfway with the batter.
   
2. For each cupcake, roll three balls of foil (ours were 2/3 inch in diameter) and insert them evenly around the perimeter between the liner and the tin, as shown.
3. Bake the cupcakes for a few minutes less than the package suggests (because there's less batter per cup than usual), or until a toothpick comes out clean.
4. Allow the cupcakes to cool, then remove them from the tin.
5. Cover each with green frosting (our ratio was 1 teaspoon of green food coloring to one 16-ounce can of white frosting).
6. Use a toothpick to draw leaf veins, and insert a 2-inch-long piece of green licorice for a stem.
   
   Recipe from:http://familyfun.go.com

History of St. Patrick's Day

Who is St. Patrick?

People all over the world celebrate on the 17th day of March in honor of St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland. Some cities have parades, most revelers wear green, and a few families commemorate the day with traditional Irish fare for their meal. However, not everyone may know who St. Patrick is. Born in Britain during the 4th century, St. Patrick was kidnapped and enslaved by Irish raiders when he was a teenager. Although he was able to escape after six years and become a priest in Britain, he later chose to return to Ireland as a missionary, in order to help spread the teachings of Christianity to pagans. According to Irish folklore, he also used a shamrock to explain the Christian concept of Trinity to the Irish. In spite of continuous opposition from pagan leaders, he continued to evangelize for thirty years while baptizing newly converted Christians and establishing monasteries, churches, and schools. He died on March 17th and was canonized by the local church.
St. Patrick's Day was first publicly celebrated in Boston in 1737 where a large population of Irish immigrants resided. Nearly 200 years later, the first St. Patrick's Day parade in the Irish Free State was held in Dublin in 1931. During the mid 90's, the Irish government also began a campaign to promote tourism in Ireland on March 17th.
While many Catholics still quietly celebrate this day of religious observance by going to mass, St. Patrick's Day slowly evolved to become a celebration of Irish heritage. Through the years, along with legendary shamrocks, many symbols were included in festivities that are reflective of Ireland's folklore, culture, and national identity (think leprechauns, ethnic cuisine, and wearing green). Other places that join in on this celebration include Japan, New Zealand, Argentina, and Canada, along with many cities across the United States.

St. Patrick's Day Crafts Ideas

 

 

Celebrate St. Patrick's Day by making a Brigid's cross, a craft honoring one of Ireland's patron saints. Traditionally these crosses are made of rushes, which grow wild in marshy areas. We wove our cross from colored craft-store raffia.

Instructions

1. First, moisten the raffia by wetting it with warm water and allowing it to sit for 10 minutes. Use scissors to trim the raffia pieces to about 20 inches long.
   
2. Lay one or two strands vertically on your table. Fold a second strand or two in half around the middle of the first, with the ends pointing to the right (figure 1).
3. Rotate your project a quarter turn. Fold a third strand or two around the second (figure 2).
4. Rotate the project again and add a fourth strand (figure 3).
5. Repeat these steps until your cross is as big as you'd like (ours uses 13 pieces), then tie the ends of the cross's arms with scrap pieces of raffia.
   
   
   
   
   
   

   Green Stamp

    

   Spread the luck o' the Irish this St. Patrick's Day with a homemade shamrock stamp. Use it to decorate paper place mats, coasters, tablecloths, or anything else your little leprechauns wish to dress in green.

Materials

• Heart-shaped cookie cutter (2 1/2 inches wide and long)
• Potato, cut in half
• Paring knife

• Green acrylic paint
• Paintbrush

Instructions

1. Press a heart-shaped cookie cutter (ours was 2 1/2 inches wide and long) into the cut face of a potato half.
2. With the cutter still in place, use a paring knife to cut the potato from around the heart (a parent's job).
3. Remove the cutter, then dip the heart into green acrylic paint and press it onto the paper. Repeat to make two more leaves, then use a paintbrush to add a swish for the stem.
   
   
   
   
   
   

   To Catch a Leprechaun

    

   It's an alarming trend that shows no sign of abating: every year, more and more FamilyFun readers fall victim to leprechaun-related mischief around St. Patrick's Day. "It's never the same," reports Margaret Bentley, of Painesville, Ohio. "The children talk about it for weeks in advance, wondering what things the leprechaun will do when he visits our house."
   Similarly, the kids in the Dezotell family of Seekonk, Massachusetts, can only imagine what the next St. Patrick's Day home invasion will bring. Green milk? Green toilet water? Green footprints? Trails of shamrock confetti? "One year the kids woke up with green kiss marks on their foreheads," recalls mom Monique, still clearly shaken.
   Is it any surprise, then, that kids like 8-year-old Jacob Dezotell have decided to fight back? Every St. Patrick's Day since he was in kindergarten, Jacob and his sister, Elise, age 7, have tried to capture a leprechaun. Despite powerful bait (Lucky Charms cereal!), their traps have caught only chocolate gold coins and candy bars, accompanied by notes taunting them with "Good try," or "Can't catch me!" As everyone knows, leprechauns hoard pots of gold, and if caught, must reveal the treasure's location to their captor. But that's not the payback Jacob seeks. Because the elusive elves are always leaving him chocolate, he figures they must have even more of that than gold!
   It's for the sake of Jacob, Elise, and all the other St. Patrick's Day mischief fighters that we offer here three state-of-the-art leprechaun traps. Each is easily made from ordinary household materials and uses lures and baits drawn from the latest research in leprechaun psychology. But please take our designs and customize them to make something unique: leprechauns, as we all know, won't be fooled by the same trap twice!
   
   

   LEPRECHAUN HAT PIT TRAP

   Leprechauns have big egos, so a giant version of their own hat is irresistible to them. Once they step on the false top, you'll have caught a 10-gallon prize.
   So that the top doesn't give way too soon, use a lightweight bait, such as a crumpled piece of gold foil.
   Our hat, a recycled oatmeal container, is wrapped with green felt secured with double-sided tape. To make the trap, we cut a hole in the lid (see image), then cunningly concealed it with a circle of green felt that will give way when the leprechaun steps on it.
   Leprechauns love to break rules. Warning signs are sure to lure them in.
   Natural materials make these woodland creatures feel at home. Our ladder is made from twigs held together with wood glue.
   
   

   RAINBOW CAGE DROP

   No self-respecting leprechaun can resist a giant rainbow. As he gets close and spies the gold bait, his curiosity will get the best of him. When he pinches the pot, down comes the cage! A bent wire hanger (1) hidden by a piece of poster board (2) forms the support for the suspended cage. We bent the hook of the hanger into a loop to hold the line.
   We tied fishing line to the top of a plastic berry basket, then threaded the line through the wire loop and back down through the basket. We pulled the line taut and secured it under the bait.
   To conceal the cage, we tucked fiberfill into the weave of the basket, giving it the look of a fluffy cloud.
   The weight of the bait holds down the fishing line. Ours is a mini flowerpot painted black and filled with gold-painted rocks. Glitter glue adds extra sparkle.
   Grasslike fabric blankets the base, evoking the Emerald Isle.
   We added a path made of glitter craft foam to point the way to the bait. Leprechauns are drawn to flashy objects.
   

   TRICKY TRAPDOOR

   This trap draws on time-honored technology: a swinging door cut into the top of the box gives way when the leprechaun tries to make off with the bait.
   You can never have too many rainbows on your trap. This one is made from pipe cleaners.
   For bait, try chocolate coins, shiny jewels, or even a worn-out doll shoe! (Leprechauns are cobblers by trade.) We glued the coins in a pile to keep them secure when the trap is sprung.
   Our trapdoor is a flap held up by a tab of card stock (taped in place after the box is decorated).
   This climbing wall is sure to entice the wee adventurers. Ours consists of small rocks affixed with tacky glue to the sponge-painted box.
   We covered our box with tissue paper (green, of course) attached with glue stick.
   Capture the look of the Irish countryside with stones and bits of moss.
   
   
   
   
   
   

   Luck o' the Irish Shamrock Cap

   Wearing one of these festive foam hats is a fun way for anyone to show off her St. Patrick's Day spirit.

Materials

• pencil
• ruler
• two 12- by 18-inch sheets of green craft foam
• heart-shaped cookie cutter
• scissors

• hot-glue gun
• masking tape
• clothespins
• 3 green pipe cleaners
• green ribbon

Instructions

1. First, mark and cut one sheet of foam (as shown). (Use wider circles for a larger hat.) See cutting instructions for a whole sheet.
2. Cut the second sheet of foam in half lengthwise and glue the 5- by 6-inch rectangle to the end of one half. Allow the glue to dry.
3. Roll the strip into a cylinder that fits inside the ring of foam (the hat brim), then glue the overlapped edges in place, using the tape or clothespins to hold them until the glue has dried.
4. Make ¾-inch vertical cuts (approximately 1½ inches apart) around the bottom of the cylinder, as shown, then fold the tabs outward. Fit the brim over the top of the cylinder, pulling it down to the bottom, and glue the tabs in place against the underside of the brim. Glue the 7-inch circle onto the top of the hat.
5. For the shamrock, glue one end of each pipe cleaner to the middle of a foam heart. Allow them to dry, then twist the pipe cleaners into a stem.
6. Make two small cuts in the front of the hat, one above the other, close to the brim. Poke the stem in through one hole and out the other, bending the end so it rests on the brim.
7. Finally, tie the ribbon around the hat, and it's ready to wear.
   
   
   
   
   

   Magic Treasure Box

   Leprechaun treasure from Family Fun
   
   
   This St. Patrick's Day, let your child in on a well-guarded secret and start a new family tradition in the process. The fun begins with the legend of the leprechauns and leads to a treasure box filled with goodies and gifts. Here's what to do. On the day before the holiday, read aloud the following tale:
   
   

   LEGEND OF THE LEPRECHAUNS

   Full of magic and trickery, the leprechauns remain in their hidden world until the night before St. Patrick's Day. On that one night of the year they appear throughout the world to dance and sing and frolic.
   
   
   Disguising themselves as leaves and grass, and sounding like the wind and the crickets, they come and go unnoticed.
   
   
   However, it is said that if a decorated treasure box is left empty under the moon, the leprechauns must fill the box with gold or jewels or gifts. But then they will hide the filled box in the most unlikely of places.
   
   
   If the box is found on St. Patrick's Day, the treasure remains in our world. If not, the leprechauns may retrieve what is rightfully theirs. And though the leprechauns are very clever, it is not impossible to find the treasure because, unknowingly, leprechauns often leave a trail of greenery behind them.
   
   

   MAKING THE TREASURE BOX

   Now, have your child decorate an empty shoe box or tissue box with paints, glitter glue or stickers. If she tries to bargain for a bigger box, explain that leprechauns are tiny and if they can't reach the top of the box, it will remain empty. Just before bed, she should place the finished box on a windowsill where the moon will shine on it.
   
   
   Once she's sound asleep, the resident leprechauns can fill the box with small treasures, such as foil-covered chocolate coins, costume jewelry or a bag of marbles, and then hide it in a special place. All that's left to do is lay a trail of green leaves or paper shamrocks from the windowsill to the box. An older child may even enjoy the challenge of several trails to follow, some with dead ends (you know, trickery of the leprechauns!). 
   
   
   
   
   

   All these fun ideas provided from: http://familyfun.go.com
    

More Recipes

St.Patrick's Day Desserts

 

Clever Clovers

 

Ingredients

 

• waxed paper
• 3 yogurt covered mini pretzels
• 1/4 teaspoon vegetable oil

• 1/4 cup white chocolate chips
• green icing
• decorating sugar

Instructions

1. Combine 1/4 teaspoon vegetable oil with 1/4 cup white chocolate chips and melt them together in the microwave according to the chips' package directions. Dab the mixture between the pretzel pieces to adhere them. Let the chocolate harden.
2. Working with one clover at a time, pipe the edges and stem with green icing (we used a #8 round piping tip), then quickly sprinkle it with decorating sugar (we used white, light green, and dark green).

Tips:

 

To save sugar, sprinkle each clover on a small piece of waxed paper. After you've covered a few treats, use the paper to funnel the extra sugar back into its jar.

Clover Cookies

Ingredients

 

• 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 cup butter at room temperature

• 1 cup sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 tbsp. vanilla extract
• Green food coloring

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar with an electric mixer for about 1 minute. Add the egg and vanilla extract and mix until well combined.
2. Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter and sugar, mixing well after each addition. The dough should be stiff.
3. Add several drops of green food coloring. Knead the dough until the color is evenly distributed. (Make sure children wash their hands immediately after kneading--food coloring can be messy.)
4. Gather the dough into two balls, flatten into disks beginning at the edge of the dough and working toward the center. Cover with plastic and chill for at least 2 hours or overnight.
5. After the dough has chilled, place one half on a large piece of plastic wrap, cover with another piece of plastic wrap and then roll until it is 1/4-inch thick. Lift off the top sheet of plastic wrap and cut out shamrocks, beginning at the edge of the dough and working toward the center.
6. Place each shamrock on an ungreased baking sheet. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Bake for 8 minutes or until the edges begin to lightly brown. Remove to a rack to cool. For particularly festive shamrocks, decorate them with green candies or frosting.
   Makes about 34.
   
   
   

   Easy Ice-cream Pie

   
   Ingredients
   • 1 1/2 cups finely crushed graham crackers or chocolate wafers
   • 5 tablespoons butter (melted)
   • 1 quart pistachio or mint chip ice cream
   • 1/2 cup hot fudge sauce
   • red and green candies
   
   
   Instructions
   
   
   1.  Place 1 1/2 cups finely crushed graham crackers or chocolate wafers into a 9-inch pie pan.
   2.  Stir in 5 tablespoons of melted butter, then press the mixture into the bottom and sides of the pan.
   3.  Freeze for 30 minutes.
   4.  Fill with 1 quart pistachio or mint chocolate chip ice cream, layer on 1/2 cup hot fudge sauce, top with 2 cups whipped cream, and sprinkle with red and green candies.
   5.  Freeze before slicing and serving.
   
   
   

   Kiwi Lime Pie

   
   
   
   Ingredients
   • 1 cup graham cracker crumbs
   • 3 tbsp. butter, melted
   • 1 14-oz. can sweetened condensed milk
   • 4 egg yolks
   • 1/3 cup lime juice
   • Thin chocolate cookie wafers
   • 1 kiwi, peeled and sliced
   
   
   Instructions
   
   1.  Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Mix the graham cracker crumbs and butter in a bowl. Firmly press the crumbs against the bottom and sides of a 9-inch pie pan. Bake for 5 minutes.
   2.  In another bowl, stir the sweetened condensed milk, egg yolks and lime juice until well mixed. Pour the mixture into the crust and bake for 15 minutes or until an inserted knife comes out clean.
   3.  Once the pie cools, push cookie wafers into the filling along the edge. Top with kiwi slices arranged to resemble a shamrock. Serves 8.
   
   
   

   Shamrock Cupcakes

   

    

   Ingredients
   • Cooled cupcakes (baked from your favorite recipe)
   • White icing
   • Green gum drops or spearmint leaves
   • Heart-shaped cookie cutter
   • Rolling pin
   
   
   Instructions
   
   1.  Frost a cooled cupcake (baked from your favorite recipe) with white icing.
   2.  For the shamrock, flatten 3 green gumdrops or spearmint leaves with a rolling pin (sprinkle on a little sugar, if necessary, to keep the candies from sticking).
   3.  Use a small heart-shaped cookie cutter (ours was 1 1/2 inches across) to cut a heart from each flattened leaf.
   4.  Place the hearts together on the cupcake to form a shamrock.
   5.  Cut a stem from the excess of one of the flattened candies and set it in place below the 3 hearts.
   
   
   

   St. Pat's Potato Candy

   

    

   Ingredients
   • 1 large potato
   • Pinch of salt
   • 2 tablespoons butter
   • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
   • 4 to 5 cups confectioners' sugar
   • 5 cups sweetened coconut flakes
   
   
   Instructions
   
   1.  Peel the potato and boil it in water until soft. In a mixing bowl, mash the cooked potato with the salt and butter. Then -- this is key -- let it cool completely, or else it will melt the sugar when you add it.
   2.  Mix in the vanilla extract and 4 cups of sugar. At this point, the mixture should be stiff. If it isn't, add more sugar.
   3.  Sprinkle half of the coconut onto a waxed-paper-covered surface and turn the potato mixture onto it. Roll the batter until all of the coconut has been mixed in, then shape teaspoonfuls into small balls.
   4.  Roll the balls individually in the remaining coconut. Chill the finished candies until you're ready to serve them. Makes about 4 dozen.
   
   
   

   St. Patrick's Pot of Gold

   
   Ingredients
   • 3-ounce box of lemon-flavor gelatin
   • 6 limes
   • Sugar
   • 1 teaspoon of whipped cream
   
   
   Instructions
   
   
   1.  Line an 8-inch square baking dish with plastic wrap, leaving several inches of overhang on each side (this will make removing the gelatin easier). Combine a 3-ounce box of lemon-flavor gelatin and 1 cup of boiling water in a medium bowl, stirring until the gelatin is dissolved. Stir in 1 cup of cold water, then pour the mixture into the baking dish. Cover the dish with plastic wrap and chill the gelatin for 4 hours or until firm, then slice the gelatin into 1/2-inch cubes.
   2.  Cut off the top quarter of each of 6 limes, then, without cutting into the fruit, slice a thin layer of peel from the bottom of each one to help them stand upright. With a small knife, cut around the inside of each lime's rind to loosen the pulp, then spoon it out to make a shell.
   3.  Place a pinch of sugar and 1 teaspoon of whipped cream in the bottom of each shell, then fill each lime pot with gelatin gold. Makes 6.
   
   
   

   Taste a Rainbow

   
   Ingredients
   • White cake mix (we used an 18-1/4-ounce box)
   • Food coloring (red, blue, green, and yellow)
   • Baking cups
   • Whipped cream (optional)
   
   
   Instructions
   
   1.  Prepare your favorite white cake mix, then divide the batter evenly among six small bowls. Following the chart below, dye each bowl of batter a rainbow color.

   RAINBOW COLOR	DROPS OF FOOD COLORING
   Purple	9 red and 6 blue drops
   Blue	12 drops
   Green	12 drops
   Yellow	12 drops
   Orange	12 yellow and 4 red drops
   Red	18 drops

   
   2. Line 16 muffin pan wells with baking cups. Evenly distribute the purple batter among the cups, then the blue, and so on, following the order shown. As you go, gently spread each layer of batter with the back of a spoon to cover the color underneath.
   3. Bake the cupcakes according to your recipe directions. Before serving, remove the paper wrapping, and if you like, top each cupcake with a whipped-cream cloud.

	Toffee Shortbread Ingredients ·         3/4 cup butter, softened ·         3/4 cup sugar ·         2 cups all-purpose flour ·         1/2 cup butter ·         1/2 cup brown sugar ·         1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk ·         2 tablespoons light corn syrup ·         1 teaspoon vanilla extract ·         1 6-ounce bag of ·         chocolate chips Instructions 1.  Shortbread: Preheat the oven to 350°. In a bowl, cream together the softened butter and sugar. Stir in the flour until well mixed. Press the batter into a 9-inch square pan (a good job for kids). Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the edges are golden brown. Let cool. 2.  Toffee: Melt the 1/2 cup of butter in a heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add the brown sugar, condensed milk, and corn syrup, and bring the mixture to a boil. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring continually. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract. Pour over the cooled shortbread. 3.  Topping: Melt the chocolate chips in a double boiler or a microwave oven. Stir until smooth. Pour over the cooled toffee. Cut into 16 squares.  Recipes provided from:http://familyfun.go.com   St. Patrick's Day celebrations around the world  In Ireland   St. Patrick's Day is celebrated in towns and cities right across the globe, but it's probably fair to say that nowhere can the festivities match the excitement and atmosphere of St. Patrick's Day in Ireland. In Ireland, St. Patrick's Day is more of a religious holiday similar to Christmas and Easter. Many Irish people start the day by going to mass and offering prayers for the Saint and missionaries all over the world. After that people flock to their local village or town to see the annual Saint Patrick's Day parade – and this is where the real celebrations begin! With grand parades, community feasts, charity show, the mass, St Patrick's Day is celebrated in Ireland with great gusto. The parades, shamrocks, and green beer are provided primarily for tourists. In fact, it has turned out to be one of the most celebrated events in Ireland and a major tourist attraction. Saint Patrick's Day is celebrated worldwide by the Irish people and increasingly by many of non-Irish descent (usually in Australia, North America, and Ireland), hence the phrase, "Everyone wants to be Irish on St. Patrick's Day." Celebrations are generally themed around all things green and Irish; both Christians and non-Christians celebrate the secular version of the holiday by wearing green or orange, eating Irish food and/or green foods, imbibing Irish drink (usually Guinness), and attending parades. Saint Patrick's Day parades in Ireland date from the late 19th century, originating in the growing sense of Irish nationalism. The St. Patrick's Day parade in Dublin, Ireland is part of a five-day festival; over 500,000 people attended the 2006 parade. With bands, music, dance, shamrock, leprechauns, green coloured clothing and loads of power packed performance, the Irish parade on Saint Patrick's Day is a sight to behold! Almost everything in Ireland is closed on Saint Patrick's Day with the exception of pubs and restaurants. Many Irish people wear a bunch of shamrocks ("three-leaf clover") on their lapels or caps on this day or green, white, and orange badges (after the colors of the Irish flag). Girls and boys wear green in their hair. Artists draw shamrock designs on people's cheeks as a cultural sign, including American tourists. The biggest celebrations on the island of Ireland outside Dublin are in Downpatrick, Northern Ireland, where Saint Patrick was buried following his death on 17 March, 461. In 2004, according to Down District Council, the week-long St. Patrick's Festival had over 2000 participants and 82 floats, bands, and performers, and was watched by over 30,000 people. The day is celebrated by the Church of Ireland as a Christian festival. Saint Patrick's Day as a celebration of Irish culture was rarely acknowledged by Northern Irish loyalists, who consider it a festival of the Irish Republicans. The Belfast City Council recently agreed to give public funds to its parade for the first time; previously the parade was funded privately. The Belfast parade is based on equality and only the flag of St. Patrick is supposed to be used as a symbol of the day to prevent it being seen as a time which is exclusively for Republicans and Nationalists. This allowed both Unionists and Nationalists to celebrate the day together. The Unionists (orangemen) wear orange instead of green on St. Patrick's Day; both colors are in the Irish flag (although this the Irish flag is not an official flag in Northern Ireland, it being part of the United Kingdom), and orange often but not always represents the Protestants of Northern Ireland. Outside Ireland In the United Kingdom The largest Saint Patrick's Day parade in the UK is held in Birmingham over a two mile route through the city centre. The organisers describe it as the third biggest parade in the world after Dublin and New York. Other Saint Patrick's Day parades take place around the country including in London where the largest minority community is Irish. The Lanarkshire town of Coatbridge where the majority of the town's population are of Irish descent also has a day of celebration and parades in the town centre. In Birmingham, St. Patrick's Festival is one of the city's premier community events, with the Irish community numbering around 140,000 people. Manchester hosts a two week Irish festival in the weeks prior to St Patrick's Day, not surprising giving that the city claims the largest Irish population in Great Britain outside of London. The festival includes an Irish Market based at the city's town hall which flies the Irish tricolor opposite the Union Flag, a large parade (claiming to be the biggest outside of Dublin and New York based on entrant and float numbers) as well as a large number of cultural and learning events throughout the two-week period. The festival promotes itself as the largest in the UK. Florence, Italy Around St. Patrick's Day, the city hosts 'Festa Irlandese' - ten days of live music, food and drink. The event takes place in a huge tent and attracts thousands of visitors who avidly consume the Italian interpretation of Irish food and drink, including potato soup, beef in Guinness, smoked salmon and gallons of stout. Oslo, Norway The Irish community in Oslo celebrates with a lively parade through the city. Nearly a thousand people join in the fun as the parade steps off through shopping streets, past Oslo cathedral, on to Town Hall Square for some entertainment. Accompanying the pipe band are St Patrick, driven by a red-bearded chauffer in a horse and cart, and a host of other colorful Irish characters. In Germany Munich is the only German city holding a St. Patrick's Day parade owing to the considerably large Irish community. The parade is organized by the German-Irish Society of Bavaria and has been held every year since 1996. Meanwhile it has evolved into the largest in continental Europe and features not only Irish/Scots/English, but also German clubs and societies. Following the 2 km-parade, which usually takes place the Sunday preceding 17 March, is an open air party with live music and dance performances. In Denmark The St. Patricks Day 3 Legged Charity Race started in Copenhagen in 2001. The race is organized by the Irish expert community and is sponsored by the Carlsberg brewery and the Irish pub owners of Copenhagen. In 2007, the event raised 26,000 DKK (~3,500 euro). All proceeds were donated to a Danish charity for children with cancer. All proceeds from the 2008 race will be donated to the Neonatal Department at Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen. In Montserrat The tiny island of Montserrat, known as "Emerald Island of the Caribbean" due to its foundation by Irish refugees from Saint Kitts and Nevis, is the only place in the world apart from the Republic of Ireland and the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador in which St Patrick's Day is a public holiday. The holiday commemorates a failed slave uprising that occurred on 17 March 1798. In Russia On March 15, 1992, thousands of Muscovites lined the Novy Arbat to witness the first St. Patrick's Day Parade in the Russian capital's history. Yuri Luzhkov - now the current Mayor of Moscow - and Aer Rianta Chief Executive Derek Keogh were on the reviewing stand as a police escort led the way for Russian marching bands, Cossack horsemen, and fifteen floats representing many Russian companies. The parade, which was the brainchild of Derek Keogh, was a big success, and ensured a repeat performance the following year. Each year the floats have become more numerous and sophisticated and the range of international and Russian participants and sponsors more wide-ranging such as Pepsi and Guinness. The local Irish bars of Moscow contribute their own floats and Muscovites reveal their own homegrown Irish Wolfhounds, which are nearly as big as the floats themselves. The Moscow parade continued to be an annual event until 1998. The economic collapse of August 1998 meant that the 1999 parade was canceled. In 2000 the St Patrick's Society of Russia managed to re-establish the St Patrick's Day parade with the co-operation of the Moscow city government, the Moscow police, various government bodies, the Irish embassy and the Irish community in Moscow. In South Korea In Seoul, members of the expatriate community congregate on Daehakro (Taehongno), and a small parade goes up the street and then down again. Parade members include local expat sports teams, the Irish Community, and several Korean marching bands. In 2007, the Marronier park near Daehakro was filled with partygoers sampling Irish Stew and Guinness. Tokyo, Japan The tradition of holding parades is also upheld in Tokyo and every year you can watch and participate in the parade on Omote Sando. The Tokyo parade is organized by the Irish Network Japan (INJ) and was first held in 1992 with the support of the then Irish Ambassador to Japan, Mr. James Sharkey. Various dignitaries from many countries participate in the parade including the deputy prime minister of Ireland Mary Hearney in 2001. About 2,000 participants march down fashionable Omotesando Avenue, lined for the occasion by Irish and Japanese flags, cheered on by as many as 7,000 spectators. The Japanese love a good party and they are particularly fond of all things Irish - including Guinness at about $7.00 a pint! There are a growing number of Irish pubs that send attractive young ladies to the parade for the sole purpose of handing out free beer vouchers. Not surprisingly, the 'voucher girls' are a parade highlight! In the United States The early Irish immigrants like the English, Dutch, German, French and the likes, brought their traditions in United States. But it was not until 1737 that the immigrants really celebrated the Day. Irish colonists brought Saint Patrick's Day to what is now the United States of America. During the first civic and public celebration of Saint Patrick's Day in the 13 colonies, which took place in Boston, Massachusetts in 1737, The Charitable Irish Society of Boston organized what was the first Saint Patrick's Day Parade in the colonies on 17 March 1737. The first celebration of Saint Patrick's Day in New York City was held at the Crown and Thistle Tavern in 1756, and New York's first Saint Patrick's Day Parade was held on 17 March 1762 by Irish soldiers in the British Army. Held since 1762, the New York City parade on St Patrick's Day now draws more than one million spectators each year. In 1780, General George Washington, who commanded soldiers of Irish descent in the Continental Army, allowed his troops a holiday on 17 March. This event became known as The St. Patrick's Day Encampment of 1780. Today, Saint Patrick's Day is widely celebrated in America by Irish and non-Irish alike. In the US, Americans celebrate the holiday by wearing green clothing. Many people, regardless of ethnic background, wear green-colored clothing and items. Traditionally, those who are caught not wearing green are pinched. Alcohol is the center of many American celebrations. Some cities paint the traffic stripe of their parade routes green. Chicago even dyes its river green. Savannah dyes its downtown city fountains green. Indianapolis dyes its Central Canal green. University of Missouri Rolla - St. Pat's Board Alumni paint 12 city blocks Kelly green with mops before the annual parade. Although the baseball season is still in the spring training phase when St. Patrick's Day rolls around, some teams celebrate by wearing St. Patrick's Day themed uniforms. The Cincinnati Reds were the first team to ever wear St. Patrick's Day hats in 1978. The Boston Red Sox were the second team to start wearing St. Patrick's Day hats in 1990. In 2004 the Red Sox were the first team to wear jerseys specially designed for St. Patrick's day. Since then it has become a tradition of many sports teams to also wear special uniforms to celebrate the holiday. The Los Angeles Dodgers also have a history with the Irish-American community. With the O'Malley family owning the team and now Frank McCourt, the Dodgers have had team celebrations or worn green jerseys on St. Patrick's Day. Other teams celebrate by wearing Kelly green hats these teams include: the Chicago Cubs, the Chicago White Sox, the New York Mets, the San Diego Padres, the Atlanta Braves, the Pittsburgh Pirates, the Kansas City Royals, the Seattle Mariners and the St. Louis Cardinals. Nearly all major league baseball teams now produce St. Patrick's day merchandise, including Kelly green hats, jerseys, and t-shirts. In the United States, many people have also made the holiday a celebration of the color green. These people, besides wearing green on that day, may also stage dinner parties featuring all green foods. An example of such a menu would be chicken with rice and lima beans with sliced green maraschino cherries in coconut sauce colored with green food coloring, a green salad including greens, avocados and sliced green apples, split pea soup, green tinted bread spiced with sage, Lime Jell-O, iced limeade and/or a green-beer, and lime pudding, key lime pie, or lime sherbet for dessert. Corned beef and cabbage is the most common meal eaten in the United States for St. Patrick's Day, even though historically, corned beef and cabbage is an American (rather than a traditionally Irish) meal. Perhaps the smallest notable parade, World's Shortest St. Patrick's Day Parade is said to take place in Hot Springs, Arkansas in the United States. Annually held on the historic Bridge Street the parade became famous in the 1940s when Ripley’s Believe It or Not designated it “The Shortest Street in the World.” But Boulder, Colorado claims to have the shortest parade, which is also less than a single city block. In Canada In Canada, Saint Patrick's Day is an official holiday only in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador. Some groups, notably Guinness, have lobbied to make Saint Patrick's Day a federal (national) holiday. The longest-running Saint Patrick's Day parade in Canada occurs each year in Montreal, Québec. The parades have been held in continuity since 1824; however, St. Patrick's Day itself has been celebrated in Montreal as far back as 1759 by Irish soldiers in the Montreal Garrison following the British conquest of New France. The Toronto St. Patrick's Day Parade is one of the largest in North America. Since it began in 1988, the parade has grown to include 100 organizations, 32 Irish county associations, 2,000 marchers, 30 floats, 14 bands as well as an assortment of wolfhounds, leprechauns and talking shamrocks. In the Province of Manitoba, the Irish Association of Manitoba runs an annual three day festival of music and culture based around St Patrick's Day. In Philadelphia The Philadelphia St. Patrick's Parade is the 2nd oldest Parade in the Country, topped only by the New York City Parade. The first documented St. Patrick's Day Celebration Parade in Philadelphia was held in 1771, marking over 230 continuous years of celebrations. In Savannah, Georgia Savannah, GA, boasts the unofficial record of having the largest attendance in its St. Patrick's Day parade with the crowd count being declared as a staggering 750,000 in 2006. Unlike other cities, the parade in Savannah takes place on the actual day of Saint Patrick's Day; even if that day is during the work week. However for 2008, the parade will take place on Friday, March 14th, to honor Holy week in the Catholic faith. The parade starts at Saint John the Baptist Catholic Cathedral on Abercorn Street. The actual parade route changes from year to year but usually travels through Savannah's Historic Park District and Bay Street. Usual participants in the parade include the local Armed Forces Units, Cadets from Benedictine Military School, and other local organizations, officials, and establishments. In 2006, the Deputy Prime Minister of Ireland was featured in the parade. Since the parade travels through Savannah's Historic Park District, one tradition that has developed has been the official "dyeing of the fountains" which happens several days before the parade. It has also become tradition for women spectators to kiss the Armed Forces Units and other military organization's male members. The parade is not Savannah's only St. Patrick's day attraction. The Savannah Waterfront Association has an annual celebration on Historic River Street that is reminiscent of Mardi Gras on Bourbon Street. There is no cover charge to access River Street, but a $5 wristband is required if one chooses to drink there. Savannah does not have an open container law so there is a proliferation of alcohol on River Street, Bay Street and in City Market. In Mexico On these day, and on September 12, the Saint Patrick's Battalion (Batallón de San Patricio) is memorialized. It fought as part of the Mexican Army against the United States in the Mexican-American War of 1846 to 1848, and was composed of several hundred Irish, Germans, Swiss, Scots and other Roman Catholics of European descent. Although it's not a popular holiday in Mexico, sometimes school children hit, punch or slap anyone who is not wearing green in their clothes. New Orleans, Louisiana New Orleans has a parade that is strongly influenced by Mardi Gras. Unlike most parades, where the participants staidly walk the parade route - with, perhaps, an occasional display of Irish dancing, the parade at New Orleans features floats, jazz bands and colorful costumed characters, with float riders throwing spectators strings of beads, cabbages, and potatoes. Syracuse, New York The city of Syracuse, NY has a parade that culminates with the delivery of green beer to Coleman's Irish Pub in the Tipperary Hill section of the city and the painting of a shamrock in front of the pub. Tipperary Hill is home to the World famous "Green-on-Top" Traffic Light. It is the Irish section in Syracuse Historically. Syracuse boasts the largest St. Patrick's day celebration per-capita in the United States. New York City The New York parade has become the largest Saint Patrick's Day parade in the world. In 2006 more than 150,000 marchers participated in it, including bands, firefighters, military and police groups, county associations, emigrant societies, and social and cultural clubs, and it was watched by close to 2 million spectators lining the streets. The parade marches up 5th Avenue in Manhattan and is always led by the U.S. 69th Infantry Regiment. It is the only New York City parade in which the marchers head uptown instead of downtown. New York politicians - or those running for office - are always found prominently marching in the parade. Former New York City Mayor Ed Koch once proclaimed himself "Ed O'Koch" for the day,[16] and he continues to don an Irish sweater and march every year, even though he is no longer in office. In a similar fashion, new New York state governor Eliot Spitzer marched in and even visited the morning Mass at St. Patrick's Cathedral for the 2007 parade. The parade is organized and run by the Ancient Order of Hibernians.[citation needed] For many years, the St. Patrick's Day Parade was the primary public function of the Ancient Order of Hibernians. On occasion the order has appointed controversial Irish republican figures (some of whom were barred from the U.S.) to be its Grand Marshal. While it is a popular misconception that the St. Patrick's Day Parade bans 'lesbians and gays', the fact is that essentially all politically motivated groups, including pro-life groups, are banned from the Parade in an effort to keep politics out of a festive community celebration. Gays and lesbians are welcome to be in the Parade as members of any of the groups allowed. The New York parade is moved to the previous Saturday (16 March) in years where 17 March is a Sunday. The event is also moved on the rare occasions when, due to Easter falling on a very early date, 17 March would land in Holy Week. This same scenario is scheduled to arise again in 2008, when Easter will also fall on 23 March. In many other American cities (such as San Francisco), the parade is always held on the Sunday before 17 March, regardless of the liturgical calendar. Seattle, Washington Seattle celebrates St Patrick's Day in grand style, with a full week of activities. Festivities kick off with the proclamation of Irish Week. Due to Seattle's northern state climates, like Ireland, the city received many Irish immigrants. So many that Seattle and Galway are sister cities. Every year on St. Patrick's Day, there's a mini-parade to prepare the parade route with the ceremonial painting of a green stripe down the center of 4th Avenue. The day of the parade begins with a Catholic Mass for peace. The Seattle Parade starts at 4th Avenue and Jefferson to the Reviewing Stand at Westlake Park, ending officially at the Seattle Center. The annual Irish Week Festival is enormous, including Irish step dancing, food, historical and modern exhibitions, and Irish lessons. This is all celebrated on March 14. And may be carried on till the 15, 16, and 17 of March. Las Vegas, Nevada The Southern Nevada, (formerly Las Vegas) Sons of Erin has put on a parade since 1966. It was formerly held on Fremont Street in downtown Las Vegas, later moved to 4th street. Since 2005, the parade has been held in downtown Henderson. It is one of the biggest parades in the state of Nevada. It also consists of a three day festival, carnival and classic car show in Old Town Henderson. In Argentina In Argentina, and specially in Buenos Aires, all-night long parties are celebrated in designated streets, since the weather is comfortably warm in March. People dance and drink only beer throughout the night, until seven or eight in the morning, and although the tradition of mocking those who do not does not exist, most people would wear something green. In Buenos Aires, the party is held in downtown street Reconquista, where there are several Celtic bars ; in 2006, there were 50,000 people in this street and the pubs nearby. Despite all these varieties, the festivities all over the world are driven by the same spirit. And why not? After all, everybody is Irish on St. Patrick's Day. While it reminds us about St Patrick, the day is also a celebration for being Irish and enjoying everything Irish. So make an attempt to have the real fun of being Irish. Adorn yourself in green clothing, pin the shamrocks, hunt for the leprechaun (well, not really), cook and feast the Irish way, laugh away all worries with Irish jokes and dance to the tunes of the Irish bands. Top o' the morning to ye!  Information provided from: http://www.theholidayspot.com/patrick/around_the_world.htm   St Patrick's Day in Australia  The legend of the leprechaun and its gold is one of the many Irish folktales shared on St Patrick's Day in Australia. Many people also wear green on the day. ©iStockphoto.com/Stephanie Coffman   St Patrick’s Day is an annual observance that is popular in Australia on March 17. This event serves as a tribute to Ireland and one of its patron saints, St Patrick.   What do people do? Many Australians come together on St Patrick’s Day to celebrate Irish culture and remember St Patrick’s life and achievements. Some businesses and organizations hold St Patrick’s Day breakfasts and lunches where lucky door prizes are given and Irish food and drinks are served. Many pubs, particularly Irish pubs, hold St Patrick’s Day parties in the evenings, where local bands play Irish music and green drinks are served. St Patrick Day parades are held in cities such as Sydney and Brisbane. These parades feature people clad in traditional Irish costumes or dressed in green, as well and floats displaying the Irish flag. Some people dress as leprechauns while others wear green wigs. Many Irish associations and historical societies hold events that give people the chance to learn about the history of Irish immigration and settlement in Australia. Public life St Patrick’s Day is not a public holiday in Australia but it is a popular event so many restaurants and pubs, particularly those with an Irish theme, are busy on the day. Parking and traffic may be temporarily affected by St Patrick’s Day parades, particularly along the main streets in some cities and towns. Background Many Australians remember the Irish settlement and culture on St Patrick’s Day. The Irish were among the first Europeans to settle in Australia. They comprised a portion of the convict settlement population in the late 1700s. More than 300,000 other Irish settlers (not convicts) migrated to Australia between 1840 and 1914. Many Irish immigrants came to Australia to escape famine in their homeland. About 30 percent of Australians are believed to have some Irish ancestry today. One way of preserving Irish traditions and customs in Australia is celebrating St Patrick’s Day each year. St Patrick is one of Ireland’s patron saints. He died on March 17 in or around the year 493. He worked as a missionary in Ireland and it is believed that he banished “snakes” from the country although the term may have referred to druids or pagan worshippers. Symbols Many people wear the color green on St Patrick’s Day. They may also wear a symbol of Ireland, such as a brooch in the shape of a four-leaf clover or a harp. Images of leprechauns or a pot of gold are seen in promotional material for St Patrick’s Day. The Irish flag and balloons in flag’s colors (green, white and orange) are also visible during events, activities and in promotions on the day. Information provided from: http://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/australia/st-patrick-day View the full range of products by visiting my stores and looking in the St. Patrick's Day section: Here: http://www.zazzle.com/goldenjackal  and here: http://www.greetingcarduniverse.com/GoldenJackalCardStore  Cards only in this store: Use the search box on the right hand side underneath where it says "search my store". This is the correct box to use for my store. Thank you for reading my blog and please do pass it on to any wee lil' leprechaun friends that may be interested :-)