St. Patrick’s Day is an exciting occasion to put your best Irish foot forward! Celebrated on March 17th—which is right around the corner—this holiday commemorates the patron saint of Ireland, St. Patrick. While today there’s more focus on wearing green and drinking pints, there’s actually a fair bit of fascinating history on St. Patrick, including legends of him driving snakes from Ireland, and of him using shamrocks to spread Christian teachings throughout the lands. And, just as there’s more to St. Patrick than meets the eye, there are also countless ways to celebrate this day; from crafting to Irish dancing, there’s something for everyone!
Put on Some Tunes
A great way to get into the St. Patrick’s Day groove is to listen to some traditional Irish music. Although often referred to as “Irish pub music,” this genre actually didn’t make its way into pubs until the 1960s! Originally, traditional Irish music was shared at fireside between friends, family members, and neighbours, and was usually unaccompanied—meaning that no musical instruments were played to accompany the singers. Very different to modern day pub music! These songs were also often interspersed with storytelling, creating a way for loved ones to come together and pass on traditions.
Today, thanks to the Irish folk revival in the ‘60s, Irish pub music is a well-established and beloved genre. Bands such as the Dubliners and the Clancy Brothers in particular have popularized many songs. Though this genre isn’t as big as some others (like your classic pop and rock songs) you can still find many authentic playlists online, especially on YouTube. One such example is the “St. Patrick’s Day Session,” which was performed live in a Dublin pub; it can be found on YouTube here. A quick search on Google will also bring up countless other song compilations, including this playlist of the Dubliners’ top St. Patrick’s Day hits.
Get Crafting
If you enjoy making crafts and gifts, whether it be for others or simply for your own enjoyment, this is a great opportunity to do so. With so many great crafting ideas out there, you’re sure to have a blast! Taking a look through sites like Pinterest can bring up tons of options; we have compiled a handful here, but there are thousands more out there on the internet.
For those looking for easy gift ideas, you might try making a candy jar or a “pot o’ gold” to share with neighbours and loved ones. This can be as simple as putting some green candy into a mason jar and decorating it with some painted shamrocks, or you can go all out and make your own “pot o’ gold” out of air-dry clay to fill with golden foil wrapped coins. If you have young grandkids, you could invite them over to make their own crafts too—anything involving candy is sure to be a big hit! This is also an excellent way to repurpose your old Halloween decorations, as a witch’s cauldron can easily be repurposed into a pot to hold your golden treats.
If you have older kids and grandkids, or you simply want to make some more sophisticated crafts, you can try your hand at making some festive wreaths and cute home decor items. If you have a hot glue gun and some green scrapbook paper, this elegant shamrock wreath is a beautiful addition to any doorway. Another adorable addition to your home is to make a gnome planter jar, which uses a mason jar, craft paper, and faux fur. If you don’t have any faux fur, you can also use some white cardstock paper to make the gnome’s beard. This gnome jar can be used to hold household objects like pens and pencils, real plants, or—if you don’t have much of a green thumb—you can also use it to house some origami shamrocks. Though these “shamrocks” actually have 4 sections, while a true shamrock only has 3, they’re pretty enough to get away with being a bit inaccurate!
Other ideas like these paper shamrock garlands can be found online through Google, Pinterest, and more. Simply search for “St Patrick’s Day crafts for older adults,” narrow your search by including more keywords if necessary (like rainbow or shamrock), and get crafting!
Eat Your Greens
While eating green vegetables is good for you all year round, it’s even better on St. Patrick’s Day. Why? Because it’s also perfectly on theme! Whether you’re a natural veggie lover or a bit of a picky eater, this festive day is a great opportunity to try out new green recipes.
One such recipe is a green spinach pasta sauce. While there are many recipes out there—including vegan and vegetarian options—the basic idea is to create a creamy sauce with garlic, lemon juice, some kind of milk (coconut milk is a common substitute for dairy milk), and spinach. This leafy green has a ton of health benefits—according to Healthline, eating spinach “may benefit eye health, reduce oxidative stress, help prevent cancer, and reduce blood pressure levels”. By blending it up with the rest of the sauce, you’re left with a vibrant green pasta with lots of nutritional benefits. Other green food ideas include green salads, veggie platters, guacamole, and matcha, a Japanese green tea powder which can be enjoyed both as a drink and in baked goods.
Along with these naturally green foods, you’ll also be able to open up a whole new world of possibilities with a little bit of green food colouring. A few drops of dye can be mixed into any neutrally coloured drink like apple juice, white grape juice, and ginger ale to add some festive flair. You can also do this with alcoholic drinks like beer and white wine—just be sure to drink these in moderation!
You can also dye foods like mashed potatoes—which, as a traditionally Irish food, are very on theme—as well as dips and baked goods to really drive home the green theme. If you’re looking for an excuse to gather together with friends, you can host a green food potluck, or invite your loved ones to decorate cookies and cupcakes with green frosting.
Play Some Festive Games
Though you may not be as spry as you were in your youth, there are still plenty of fun, low-impact games that you can play this St. Patrick’s Day! As this day is all about gathering and celebrating together with loved ones, we have put together a list of a few games that can be played with groups of people (large or small). The games have been listed in order from least to most preparation required, so no matter how much time you have to prep, there should be a game that suits your needs.
First up is Golden Coin Toss, a game in which you take turns competing to see who can throw the most coins into a pot (or bowl, box, or whatever you have on hand). While you can use real gold coins, this is generally out of most people’s budgets, so our recommendation is to use gold foil-wrapped chocolate coins. These can be found at most supermarkets for cheap, and have the added bonus of being a nice sweet treat for the winner—and participants—to enjoy. Yum!
Next up is Irish Carpet Bowling, which requires a little bit more preparation. You’ll first want to clear an area of around 2m x 3m (preferably in a carpeted area of your home) and then mark a starting line on one end, and a target on the other end of the floor of this playing area. You can do this in several ways; you can use painter’s tape to make a simple X on the ground, or step it up a notch by carefully arranging your tape into a few concentric circles to create a bullseye-like target. This doesn’t have to be perfect, as the goal is just to have a target to aim for. Then, when you’re ready to play, you and your participants will each choose a potato—yes, a potato!—to throw or roll from the starting line. Your goal is to get as close to the target as possible; some potatoes truly have a mind of their own, so this is easier said than done!
Finally, a game that’s sure to be a hit for both young and older participants is a Leprechaun’s Pot o’ Gold Scavenger Hunt. While this does take some effort to set up, the end result is sure to make it worth it. To start, you’ll want to come up with a few St. Patrick’s Day themed clues. For example, “the luckiest doorway in the house” might point to a doorway with a shamrock garland hung above it., while “the leprechaun’s favourite perch” could refer to a green chair or couch. After coming up with your clues, write them out on little slips of paper and hide them in their locations. Be sure not to hide the clues in the locations they point to—you want each clue to lead to the next area! Your final step is to place your pot o’ gold prize at the end and watch as your participants follow the leprechaun’s trail!
If you’re keen on inviting younger friends and family members to play these games, you may need to wait until the weekend after St. Patrick’s Day, as it falls on a Monday this year. However, this isn’t a bad thing—it just gives you more time to plan and set each activity up!
Delve Into St. Patrick’s History
Since this is such an old tradition, it can be very interesting to explore the history behind St. Patrick’s Day. In fact, some historical tidbits about St. Patrick might surprise you, even if you think you’re a St. Patrick’s Day expert!
For example, did you know that St. Patrick’s original official colour wasn’t green, but was actually a light blue? Up until the early 18th century, St. Patrick’s blue was the colour most people associated with Ireland, which is quite hard to believe when we look at the green-clad crowds of modern day. It was only after the shamrock became associated with the Irish rebellion that the green colour we know and love began to catch on.
If you enjoy learning these fun facts, you could try playing a game of Truth or Blarney, which is a festive twist on a classic game of True or False. Online quizzes such as this 20 question quiz can be found with a simple Google search, making playing—and learning—easy and fun. You can also find lists of questions written out, if you prefer to print and share copies with your friends and family. And, of course, if you want to dive even deeper into the history of St. Patrick’s Day, there are plenty of articles to be found online; this one by Britannica offers a nice starting place for avid researchers!
Go See a Parade or Dancing Event
If you’re short on time or don’t have the materials to make elaborate plans on your own, you can also try joining in on some fun in your community. Not only are parades and events great ways to get in the festive spirit, they’re also fantastic for increasing your social circle. As an older adult, you may be feeling more lonely than you did in your younger years—this is perfectly normal, but a high degree of isolation can also lead to issues such as depression, anxiety, and a worsened quality of life, making a certain degree of social interaction crucial for maintaining a happy and healthy life.
Luckily, many people use St. Patrick’s Day as an excuse to get out and meet new people. In New York, for example, the St. Patrick’s Day parade draws several million spectators to view its 200,000 marchers each year. Similarly, in Chicago, the dyeing of the Chicago river draws an estimated 50,000 people each year to witness the iconic event. While your local events are likely not that massive, they can still provide opportunities to talk to people who you likely wouldn’t meet otherwise. Local bars are often full of St. Patrick’s Day revelers, and if you go in the mid-afternoon to early evening, you’ll likely catch many people popping in to grab a pint before the late night partiers—like college students—arrive.
Events showcasing Irish culture, including traditional dancing, can also be found online and in person. Even if you don’t live near any in-person events, many performances are live streamed as well, making it easy to tune in from the comfort of your own home to enjoy some rousing music, singing, and dancing. These can be found through Google, Facebook, Meetup, and more!
When attending these events, be sure to put your best Irish flair on display and wear your favourite green outfits and accessories—if you don’t own any, you can try your hand at some more arts and crafts to make a shamrock hat, brooch, or headband. And, if green really isn’t your thing, you can always go for something orange (to represent the stripe on the Irish flag) or blue (which is, of course, the original colour of St. Patrick). In the end, it’s not something to worry about—what matters isn’t what you’re wearing, but rather how much fun you’re having, and how many fantastic memories you’re making along the way.
And so, even if you aren’t slinging back pints like you might have in your youth, there are still plenty of ways to enjoy yourself this St. Patrick’s Day. So, what are you waiting for? Get your best green outfit on, keep an eye out for mischievous leprechauns, and go have some fun!
