St. Patrick’s Day is an annual celebration in Ireland and around the world. It’s a time to dress up, dance, sing, explore Irish culture, and maybe partake in a Guinness or two. While not a federal holiday, it’s a great opportunity to get together with loved ones for some fun activities or an outing. Before we talk about some of the fun activities you can do with your older loved ones, let’s get into a bit of the history behind this day.
St. Patrick was a patron saint who is said to have brought christianity to Ireland during the 5th century. Years after his death he was officially declared a saint by the catholic church, and the day of his death was marked as a celebration of his holiness and good deeds. While many holidays that are specific to a particular country tend not to be as heavily celebrated elsewhere, the 19th century brought a large influx of Irish immigrants to North America, and they brought their traditions and customs with them!
Today St. Patrick’s Day is a beloved celebration all over the United States. So, let’s get into some of the fun activities you can do with your older loved ones to make the most out of this special day.
1.Green Outfits
If you think about St. Patrick’s day then it’s very likely one of your first thoughts will be about the color green. Green has long been associated with Ireland due to Ireland’s beautiful landscapes. In fact, the country is so well-known for it’s stunning greenery that it has the nickname the “Emerald Isle.” That’s why so many people head there to specifically go on walking tours that can take them through its lush landscape.
Part of Ireland’s distinctive green identity is the shamrock. The shamrock is a type of clover that is known as a symbol of Ireland and is said to have been used by St. Patrick to describe the Holy Trinity. Green is even part of Ireland’s flag!
Because of these, almost any kind of St. Patrick’s celebration is going to be as green as possible, and peoples’ clothing is no exception! St. Patrick Day crowds are generally a sea of green, but whether you’re going out or not, it’s always fun to get dressed up to celebrate!
Of course you can pull out green items you already have in your closet, but there are also lots of other fun ways to add green to your wardrobe on St. Patrick’s Day.
- Thrift surprise. Go to a thrift store and pick out the most ridiculous green outfit that you can. See if you can manage to build a completely green outfit all the way down to your shoes! To make it a surprise you can pick out outfits for each other, and the rule is that you both have to wear them no matter how silly they look! You can also aim to find outfits that you think the other person would genuinely enjoy. It all depends on your personalities and what you and your loved ones would enjoy the most.
- Buy matching outfits. It’s always fun to go out as a group, so why not head out to your local department store to find a batch of green t-shirts or hats that you can all wear together?
- Design your own. Head to a dollar or craft store to find green clothing gemstones, glitter and pens, and get to work! Most craft stores also sell plain t-shirts so that you have a completely blank canvas for you to create your masterpiece on.
2.Check Out a Parade
If your city likes to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, then there’s a good chance that it will be holding a parade. A parade is a great family-friendly activity that pairs well with a lunch or dinner out at an Irish Pub. If you’ve never been to a parade before here are a few things to think about.
- Arrive early. Parade crowds can get big, so you want to make sure you scout out a good spot. Check to see if you’re able to set up chairs from where you’re viewing the parade – some may not allow it. If chairs are allowed then bring a few foldable camping chairs for your older loved ones so they don’t get too tired from standing.
- Bring snacks and water – parades can go on for a while and you don’t want to miss anything! Pack lots of snacks and water, maybe even a thermos of coffee or tea to stay full and hydrated.
- Wear layers. It is still chilly in a lot of states, so make sure you’re well dressed for the weather with lots of layers in case it warms up. It’s easier to get chilly when standing still, so it’s better to come dressed in more layers than you think you need.
- Have an exit plan. Crowds can be overwhelming for some, so make sure you know the surrounding area and where you can make an exit should you need to. And be sure to always bring medications like epi-pens, even if you don’t plan on eating. You never want to stuck in a crowd without the essentials.
3.Make Irish or Green Food and Drinks
If you’d prefer to stay home then a fun way to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day is by making a green and/or Irish feast! Deck out the table with a green table cloth and green-tinted glass, and then get to work on your menu – bonus points if you can incorporate Irish cuisine into your cooking for the day! Here are some ideas for what to make:
- Green beer. A classic on St. Patrick’s Day. All you need is your favorite light colored beer and a drop or two of green food coloring. Or just drink a Guinness in a green glass.
- Meat pies with green crust. Meat pies are a classic in Ireland. Make the crust green with food coloring or pureed spinach.
- Green baked goods. Use food coloring to ice cookies or bake a delicious green cake!
- Bacon and cabbage. Cabbage is a staple in Irish cuisine, and it also happens to be green! Pair it with bacon for a traditional Irish dish, or go with corned beef and cabbage – a less traditional Irish meal, but very popular in the United States on St. Patrick’s Day.
- Soda bread. Soda bread is a delicious yeast free bread that is a staple of Irish culture. You can add a fun green surprise by filling it with green olive rings.
4.Immerse Yourself in Irish Culture
What better way to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day than by immersing you and your loved one in Irish culture? Go to an Irish restaurant to enjoy a meal or see if your city has an Irish museum or cultural center. There might even be monuments you could visit that talks about the Irish community in your area.
Another great way to immerse yourself in Irish culture is by engaging in the arts. Spend the afternoon listening to famous Irish singers like U2, Enya or The Cranberries. You might also check out this list from Forbes of some must-see Irish films. You could also check out poets, authors and television shows, or simply read up on Irish history to learn more about this beautiful and interesting place. Britannica offers a great background on some important facts to know about Ireland.
5.Make Crafts
Arts and crafts are always a great way to celebrate a holiday, and St. Patrick’s Day is like a feast for the imagination! Along with more solemn crafts that pay homage to the day’s religious background, St. Patrick’s Day also offers the opportunity to engage in more whimsy by choosing crafts that feature leprechauns, an important figure in Irish folklore.
Leprechauns are small, tricksy creatures who are thought to protect treasure, or, most familiarly, pots of gold. In fact, part of the reason people wear green on St. Patrick’s Day is to avoid getting pinched by a leprechaun, as wearing green is said to make you invisible to their eyes.
Thankfully though, that’s just all part of old tales, so you can safely make leprechaun crafts without fear of getting pinched. Good Housekeeping offers 50 fun and inventive crafts that are suitable for people of all ages.
When choosing which crafts to do try to think about what is going to be the most enjoyable for your loved one. If they struggle with sore joints then anything that’s too small or technical might be a challenge for them. You also don’t want to worry about cleaning up glitter or confetti out of a carpet, so have consideration for the area where you’ll be doing the crafts. Often something as simple as coloring can be just as enjoyable if not more so than something that’s more complex.
6.Play Games
Who doesn’t love a good round of games? You can dress up in your St. Patrick Day outfits and play any game you wish, or you might want to specifically tailor your games to fit the theme. Come up with St. Patrick’s Day bingo cards and play a round – the winner gets a box of Lucky Charms!
You could also buy some tasty chocolate coins and set up a coin toss – at the end of the game you can use the chocolate coins to bake some delicious treats! There’s a good chance the most enjoyable games will be the ones you create yourself – like designing a trivia game based around Irish culture?
There isn’t a right or wrong way to do this, so it’s whatever feels right to you. Sometimes it’s nice to simply enjoy some fun games with your loved ones, an a special day gives you a perfect excuse to do so. Plus, play and time with loved ones is a great way to lower stress and improve mental health, so that’s a nice added bonus.
7.Try Irish Dancing
If you’re a fan of Irish culture then you’ve probably watched your fair share of Irish dancing videos, or might have even been lucky enough to see it in person! The exact origins of Irish dance are unknown, but likely came from Celtic traditions that have now transformed into the Irish dancing we know today.
While of course Irish dancing is not something you can learn overnight, it’s a fun activity to try when celebrating St. Patrick’s Day, and is a good way to get some serious and share some giggles with your family.
If you’re interested in this idea you can check out local events in your area, as there might be some public demonstrations or classes that teach the basics. But, if that’s not an option or you’d rather not have anyone else witness your dance moves, YouTube is filled with video tutorials on how to dance like the Irish. Just maybe make sure any downstairs neighbors are out running errands so you don’t need to deal with any awkward conversations.
8.St. Patrick’s Day Social
Instead of just celebrating the day with you and your older loved ones, why not get the wider community involved? Invite over a few friends and family members and have them all enjoy the delicious baked goods you’ve made. You might even set up a scavenger hunt for everyone to enjoy that’s filled with Irish related clues.
Once activities are done, relax with a signature drink, such as a warming and delicious Irish coffee. It mixes Irish whisky with coffee, sugar and a healthy topping of whipped cream.
Encourage everyone to wear green and create a playlist out of some of the singers listed above. Maybe you can even host your own Irish dancing class after watching some of those YouTube tutorials. A social event is also a great way to come up with new craft ideas, as you can ask everyone to bring the supplies needed to create a fun St. Patrick’s Day creation.
No matter what you choose, the most important thing is getting to spend quality time with the older adults in your life who you love. So choose what feels fun and easy for you, instead of going after an activity that you feel you should participate in just because everyone else is doing it. If you don’t like crowds then skip the parade, and if your loved one hates bright green then choose them an outfit from the thrift store that is dark and lush, like some of the countryside in Ireland. After all, as long as you’re wearing green the leprechaun can’t get you – it doesn’t matter what shade it is.
St. Patrick’s Day is a welcomed opportunity to have a celebration at the end of the winter. For many older adults, winter is a difficult time where they might have been dealing with depression and isolation, so this is a great opportunity to have fun and be a little goofy. Enjoy the day and here’s to finding that pot of gold at the end of the rainbow!
