St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated worldwide and incorporates many Irish traditions, but there is much more to St Patrick’s Day than beer and wearing green. Here are 10 fun facts that will surprise the whole family:
- The odds of finding a four-leaf clover are about 1 in 1,000. Finding a four-leaf clover is meant to symbolize luck due to the difficulty of finding them!
- Corned beef and cabbage are foods traditionally eaten on St. Patrick’s Day. Eating salted meats and cabbage dates back to the Middle Ages and is also a traditional Irish food!
- Over 100 countries around the world celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. This includes Japan, Singapore, New Zealand, and Russia.
- Chicago dyes its river green every year for St. Patrick’s Day! This tradition started in 1962 and uses environmentally friendly dye which keeps the river green for four to five hours.
- The most popular alcoholic beverage on St. Patrick’s Day is beer. Guinness is one of the most popular beers consumed on the holiday.
- The largest St. Patrick’s Day celebration is held in America, not Ireland. Though Dublin, Ireland holds the most festive celebration, the biggest parade is in New York City.
- St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated every year on March 17th. The holiday has been observed on this day for over 1,000 years.
- The first St. Patrick’s Day was celebrated in America. A St. Patrick’s Day parade was held in America in 1601
- The word “Leprechaun” means “small-bodied fellow.” Belief in leprechauns dates back to the Celtic belief in fairies and tiny people. Leprechauns have always been recognized for their trickery, which is why they are always protecting their treasure.
- Saint Patrick, who lived during the fifth century, is the patron saint of Ireland and its national apostle. St. Patrick was born in Roman Britain, and it is believed that he was kidnapped and brought to Ireland as a slave at 16. After his escape from slavery, he was credited with bringing Christianity to the Irish people.
There you have it! 10 awesome fun facts about St. Patrick’s Day. Quiz your friends on your new holiday knowledge and remember to wear green or you might get pinched! Looking for more fun facts and trivia? Check out the Great Wolf blog!
