As you know, it was St. Patrick’s Day this past Friday, March 17. But do you actually know the reason behind that day? Not many people knows the true reason we pays honor to St. Patrick and celebrate it on March 17. Some probably doesn’t even care. To them, it’s just another reason to celebrate in one way or another.

St. Patrick was a 5th century priest known as the patron of Ireland. He was born around 386 CE in Roman Britain, possibly in the area known as Wales. At the age of 16, he was enslaved and taken to Ireland, where he spent 6 years in captivity. He then escaped, only to later return to bring Christianity to the people of Ireland.

He founded schools and churches throughout the Emerald Isle before his death on March 17. He was never canonized as saint by the Catholic Church.

There was a legends that Patrick led all the snakes out of Ireland. Now, Ireland was known not to have snakes; so snakes was often symbolize as the devil and evil, many believe the “snakes” were a metaphor representing his work of driving the idol-worshipping Druid cult out of the country.

This is the fable I grew up hearing about.

Why was the color green chosen to be worn on this particular day?

The tradition of wearing green on St. Patrick’s Day is supposed to make you invisible to leprechauns.

The Irish-Americans would never wear the green as a reminder that they were nationalist first and foremost.

Green was adopted by St. Patrick’s Day festivities in the 18th century after the shamrock became Ireland’s national symbol.

When I was a kid in school, we were pinched if we didn’t wear green on St. Patrick’s Day. The reason for getting pinch was as soon as you were in the leprechaun’s radar, they will come up to anyone who didn’t wear green. It didn’t matter if you were Irish or not.

I doubt there are many who knows the true reason we celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. Some probably couldn’t care less. They just want a reason to party. Like we need another reason to party, eat, and/or drink.

It happens during Lent; like Mardi Gras started off Lent.

On St. Patrick’s Day, there are people who choose to drink green beer. Now green beer is just green dye added into their beer to turned it green. It’s not actually green.

Drinking green beer isn’t not actually my thing. Believe me, I like beer but I wouldn’t go out of my way for green beer. I’ll drink Shamrock shake before I would drink green beer.

I would rather eat corn beef and cabbage around St. Patrick’s Day than drinks green beer. I grew up with that tradition of eating corn beef and cabbage. My mother even added potatoes and carrots with it. You can cook it all together in a croc pot if you want. The healthier way is to baked the corn beef and steamed the cabbage, carrots, and potatoes. You can even skipped the potatoes, like I did this year.

The Reuben sandwich is actually created using German ingredients. Yet, it is still have connection with Irish tradition as well.

Sauerkraut is fermented cabbage.

It goes to show that some of the European countries links their foods together. Then it’s carried over into the United States as family tradition throughout the generations.

This year when you celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, keep in mind the true reason we honor St. Patrick not just the fable. It’s good to honor someone who has done good things. It shows respect; and there’s not much of that anymore these days. Enjoy your green beer if you are into it. Just keep the green out of my beer, ok! I’ll eat the corn beef and cabbage with carrots instead. Believe me, I’m not Irish; even though I have red hair.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!!!