Saint Patrick’s Day is a wonderful day filled with wonderful traditions. However, since the coronavirus pandemic is still posing a very real, very barbaric threat to the world, some traditions like parades and charity marathons are off the table. But don’t fret! Here are seventeen ways to enjoy the holiday while staying safe and healthy!
#1: Enjoy a mint milkshake. This past Friday, March 12, I decided to order a Shamrock Shake from McDonalds to see what all the fuss was about. I am happy to report that I enjoyed the delicious, seasonal mint treat (although I brushed my teeth vigorously afterwards because of the high sugar content!). For some reason, I have started associating the mint flavor with Saint Patrick’s Day. A mint milkshake sounds like a tasty way to celebrate!
#2: Paint your nails green. I love painting my nails for different occasions. I recall painting my nails teal and nude in September 2019 for reproductive cancer awareness. In 2015, my profile picture and cover photo on Facebook were photos of my nails painted to celebrate Opening Day. I painted my nails blue and yellow to celebrate Edgar Martinez getting into the Baseball Hall of Fame, also to fulfill a promise to the Seattle Mariners. Therefore, I love the idea of painting one’s nails green to celebrate the holiday.
#3: Learn about Irish history. I’m actually Scots-Irish on my father’s side of the family. I’m very interested in learning about the history of the country that some of my ancestors have lived in. If you have ever been interested in the history of Ireland or if you have some Irish DNA in your bloodline, Saint Patrick’s Day is a wonderful opportunity to learn about how Ireland came to be.
#4: Enjoy rotisserie or beer can chicken. I had to quarantine myself for ten days last year, starting on Saint Patrick’s Day. That evening, my family brought me some chicken and a piece of bread. Initially, I believed it was a homemade beer can chicken, although I later learned it was Costco rotisserie chicken. I have started associating chicken with Saint Patrick’s Day because of the tasty quarantine dinner I had the first day of isolation.
#5: Treat yourself to some potatoes. Name a more iconic duo than Irish culture and potatoes. I’ll wait! Something I really love is homemade mashed potatoes. Mix them with sour cream and voila! Yummy! I also like to eat boiled potatoes that aren’t mashed. Boiled, unmashed potatoes are the Eastern European person’s best friend.
#6: Bake some Pillsbury shamrock cookies. I’m not sure if they’re still made, or if I started searching for them too late on Instacart. Shamrock cookies are always a good idea on this holiday. Frosted Lofthouse sugar cookies and shamrock-shaped sugar cookies purchased from the grocery store are also tasty options.
#7: Whip up some all-green cupcakes. You can use a homemade cupcake recipe or a cake mix recipe. Something I love is the idea of coloring Pillsbury Funfetti cake mix green and using green frosting. Back in college, I had cupcakes that were all green in the dorm cafeteria the Friday before spring break. Therefore, I love festive cupcakes.
#8: Bake a batch of Shamrock brownies. I baked a batch of brownies, topped them with chocolate frosting, used green frosting to make a shamrock, and topped it with green sugar. They were delicious, although I did have to brush my teeth to keep them from decaying from all the sugar in the dessert. I recommend baking and enjoying them.
#9: Wear Saint Patrick’s Day sports gear. My favorite piece of sports gear that is Saint Patrick’s themed is my Detroit Tigers hat. I also intend on getting shamrock green merchandise from teams including the Colorado Avalanche, Houston Astros, and Atlanta Braves. It’s a great way to get into the spirit and represent your favorite sports team!
#10: Drink a glass of green soda. Take your favorite lemon-lime soda, add some green food coloring, and enjoy! This can also work with seltzer water, tonic water, and mineral water.
#11: Bead some green and orange bracelets. Beading bracelets sounds like a really fun, relaxing hobby. Green and orange bracelets are a wonderful way to get into Saint Paddy’s spirit. Honestly, they sound like a wonderful craft for an Etsy shop.
#12: Irish flag-shaped cookies. These sugar cookies can be shaped like rectangles, hearts, circles, stars, or any other shape your heart desires. They can be colored dough or iced with green, white, and orange icing.
#13: Put on some green eyeshadow. Some recommendations I have for eyeshadow include Clinique, I Heart Revolution, and Ulta Beauty. I also believe the Baby Yoda eyeshadow palette is an amazing choice. That reminds me, I want to do a Brutally Honest Beauty Review of the palette.
#14: Make paper shamrocks in the colors of the Irish flag. Why just have green shamrocks when you can have shamrocks in white and orange, too? They can also be cute little notes. You can leave a kind note in someone’s lunch or tell your significant other or sibling how much they mean to you.
#15: Read up on Irish culture. If you’ve ever been curious about Irish dishes, literature, or artwork, Saint Patrick’s Day is the perfect time to learn. You can learn about the wonderful country of Ireland, and it might even be extremely helpful if you’re doing a project for school in Ireland.
#16: Have an Irish trivia competition. Gather your friends or roommates and compete for who knows the most about Ireland, from history to literature. Give treats such as cookies or M&Ms as prizes. You can even try on video conferences with family and friends!
#17: Listen to music from Ireland-based musicians. Some examples include The Cranberries, The Script, and Hozier. You can also listen to traditional Irish music, or write your own song or poem about Ireland (which can be a big help when it comes to schoolwork, too!).
What are some of your favorite ways to celebrate Saint Patrick’s Day? Let me know in the comments below.
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