Happy St Patrick’s Day! I just got back from the coffee shop and realized I had forgotten to wear green. I do this often on this holiday so always tell people my eyes are green so there’s no need to overdo it. One tradition that I always keep is to eat a classic St Patty’s day meal which you see above. I actually don’t cook it but go to Lunardi’s, one of our local grocery stores and pick it up. I posed this photo for the blog but will wait until tonight to actually eat it. In the mean time I was wondering about the holiday and thought I’d get some more facts for us in case you need to “wow” someone at a party. So here is what I have:

• St. Patrick’s Day is on March 17 because that is the feast day of St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland. (They say he died on March 17, 461 AD)
• The color of St. Patrick is actually blue. Green became associated with the day during the 19th century – Irish legends thought fairies and immortals wore green
• The first St. Patrick’s day parade was Boston, not Ireland, in 1737
• In Chicago the rivers are dyed green on St. Patrick’s Day – it makes me wonder how long they stay green, and how much dye is required to do this!
• The phrase “drowning the shamrock” is from the custom of floating the shamrock on the top of whiskey before drinking it, which will bring a prosperous year (I will try that with a class of wine and see if it works)

So with these fun facts you’re ready to hit any party well prepared. Stay safe today and tonight and have fun!