4 Ways British and American St. Patrick's Day Celebrations are Very Different

[@marybethduke3263]

I happened to be in Chicago on St Patrick's Day several years ago and was dining at Lawry's. A band of kilt-wearing bagpipers waltzed in and serenaded the entire restaurant. Loved it! The green Chicago River is a sight to see too!

[@fabienneclavier5984]

Doesn’t sound very Irish, though, lol

[@brucemorgan62]

@@fabienneclavier5984 the Scots don't have a monopoly on kilts or bagpipes ;)

[@Granuaile1]

@@fabienneclavier5984 You should read up on Gaelic culture!

[@Ogrematic]

Did you ever eat at Portillo's?

[@marybethduke3263]

@@Ogrematic Many times! My son and grandchildren are in Chicago so I visit as often as I can!

[@cattuslavandula]

In America, everyone's Irish on March 17. 🍀 Cinco de Mayo is quickly becoming the same sort of holiday here.

[@kenc2257]

If you live in the Southwest USA, Cinco de Mayo is very popular & wildly celebrated (and frequently 'over' celebrated by the younger crowd).

[@michaelhogan9053]

Yup!! Everyone is Irish on Cinco de Mayo too. lol

[@wpbgmail]

Yes, Cinco de Mayo and St. Patrick's Day are very similar in that both are celebrated more in the U.S. than in their home countries because #anyexcuseforaparty.

[@dannicatzer305]

Honestly where I live in the UK which has a very large amount of people of Irish descent St Patricks day is a non event... Travel into the city you might see the odd pub with a special on but that's it...

[@hkjuhucampbell4005]

There is a town in the Texas Panhandle, called Shamrock, that has a week long event, with a parade, a fair, golf tournament, rodeo and a Miss Shamrock contest. They also have a beard growing contest. At one time there was a gentleman, who took some tablets that turned his grey beard, green. They put out a green newspaper that day. Look on a Map for I-40 and you will find this town. They also have a motel that was used as a model for the one in the movie "Cars".

[@glazdarklee1683]

I went to an elementary school where we had to wear uniforms that lacked anything green. I have many early memories of my mother pinning a shamrock made of green construction paper to my sweater. Because I didn't want to get pinched. I also have many memories of drinking green beer in college. But they aren't as clear. An even more recent memory is of green bagels, which are about as culturally confused as you can get.

[@patkern185]

Green bagels are about as Irish as corned beef and cabbage..lol.

[@emilywhitfield2780]

Lamb Stew is probably more Irish than corned beef!!! Cabbage is a popular vegetable!

[@deborahdanhauer8525]

I’ve wondered about green bagels too….🐝🤗❤️

[@primmoore6232]

Green bagels are perfect this year. Today is also *Purim,* the Feast of Esther.

[@coolmoon4382]

@@patkern185 don't tell that to EVERYONE in Massachusetts.. WE ALL MAKE CORNED BEEF AND CABBAGE.. Carrots and potatoes parsnips and green beer. It wouldn't go over well. Especially after a few of those green beers.

[@roguesmile1491]

I didn't realize how much I enjoyed/missed St. Patrick's day until I moved to Japan where everyone gave me funny looks for mentioning it. My mom always made corned beef with cabbage St. Patty's week and I ended up spending $4 for a container of canned corned beef the size of a pudding cup this year to satisfy a bit of homesickness.

[@richardmercer2337]

When my son Patrick was little, we treated St Patrick's Day as his "special day"! For a few years we then had to also have St. Jonathan's Day on April 17 for his brother...

[@suem6004]

Yes. It is a special family holiday for us. Dad was 2nd generation Irish. Wore green. Had special food.

[@ithilnin123]

I attended the St. Patrick’s Day parade in NYC back in 2006. Being from a small town in Tennessee, I will never forget how exciting it was to see all of the pageantry that accompanied it, especially the police bands with their kilts and bagpipes. 💁🏻‍♀️

[@stevedavis5704]

I will have you know that my aunt had a daughter in law who had a sister who’s neighbor was distantly related to a lady who had a maid who had a cat that brought home a Barbie doll in a dress with a shamrock pattern on it so I have every right to go and get kersnockered celebrating my Irish roots and if I’m lucky I will have sobered up in time for Cinco de Mayo cuz I have a right to celebrate that cuz my uncle lives in a town that sets on land stolen fair and square from Mexico.

[@vickyrun8796]

Lol

[@kenc2257]

Steve O'Davis definitely sounds Irish...

[@shelleytorok1406]

LOL 😆 ( FOR REAL!!!!!)

[@lisahirschlozano823]

I lived in Boston for several years, and St. Patrick's Day is actually an official city holiday. It falls on the same day as a revolutionary war commemoration so they call it Evacuation Day, but everyone knows it's for St. Paddy's. Also, the reason we call it St. Paddy's is because Paddy is a nickname for Patrick. I'm from New England where there's a substantial amount of people of Irish heritage (I'm about 1/4 Irish myself) so it was always a big deal growing up. Yesterday my family and I wore green, got green donuts, and I made corned beef and cabbage, which I typically do every year. :)

[@Fridge56Vet]

It's definitely big in certain areas, but it is also an excuse to go out later or knock off work early and go to the pub among even the non-Irish. And yes, many Americans of partial Irish ancestry (my wife included) do go out of their way to emphasize, even if mildly, their Irish roots.

[@aletaschulz1108]

🤗💚

[@Ogrematic]

Well, they are catholic... Lots of kids...

[@coltonbates629]

As they should, and, as they should. Being even 1% Irish is good. Not working is good.

[@Thurgosh_OG]

Brit here. I've lived in both Scotland and England for decades and in this country it's mainly Irish pubs and a few non-Irish pubs (trying to get some of the customers) that make a thing of St.Paddy's day. It's a slightly celebrated event, compared to the non-celebrations of St. Andrews day, St. George's Day or St. David's day here in Blighty.

[@billkelly3679]

San Antonio, Texas also dyes their river green. Mind you, the San Antonio river is about 30 feet wide...

[@Fetch26291]

In Boston, MA, March 17th is also Evacuation Day, which celebrates the British army leaving Boston on March 17, 1776, never to return.

[@rosesmith6925]

Love to listen to your view of America. Hysterical ☮❤

[@lisajoy9588]

I love St. Patrick’s Day and always, Always wear green and some sort of shamrock ☘️ scarf or pin or something. I don’t do the drinking part but I do love the traditional food, etc.

[@tatiannazutania7751]

I live near Scranton, PA. They are known for their St. Patrick's Day parade. My Great Grandmother came from Belfast, so it's always been important in my family.

[@Quarton]

I remember making sure that I wore GREEN on March 17th - to avoid being pinched, or having my feet stomped on by fellow students! Happy St. Patrick's Day, Lawrence! (Also, HAPPY BELATED St. DAVID'S DAY!! Dydd Gwyl Dewi Hapus! I have to remember my maternal side - REES, from Wales at least 150 years ago.)

[@chrisk5651]

Grew up in suburban New York & never heard of the pinching thing.

[@renafielding945]

I learned that in a Polish-Czech-German town in south central Texas. Go figure. And Americans are just looking for reasons to party.

[@stevenhoskins7850]

MORTICIA! You spoke WELSH!

[@stevenhoskins7850]

@@chrisk5651 It's big in Dallas/Ft. Worth, Texas. My mother always sent me to school in green. When I turned 15, my eyes changed from blue, to green. If anyone started to pinch me, I'd just point to my eyes and say "I'm wearing green contacts".

[@b.t.walker2295]

Each year when the school calendars are approved, I look to see if March 17th falls during spring break. It often does, and a day wasted of students pinching the green-less is avoided, but not so in 2022. I bet the kids were wild; I’m glad I retired.

[@missharry5727]

I identify as Yorkshire but my maternal grandfather was born in Liverpool of Irish immigrant parents and my first name, Brigid, is Irish. I have never come across a St Patrick's Day celebration but do like Ireland as a holiday destination and shall be going there again this autumn. Can't wait for the Guinness, soda bread and American migrant seabirds on the Kerry coast. And it's nice to be somewhere that people spell my name right.

[@christopheryoung3356]

St Patrick's Day had been a public holiday in Boston (or actually Suffolk County, MA) because it coincides with Evacuation Day. Evacuation Day, March 17, 1776, is the day that the British troops evacuated the city of Boston after George Washington mounted heavy cannons atop Dorchester Heights aimed at the British fleet. Another note, the Charitable Irish of Boston was founded in 1737 on St Patrick's Day and held its first parade and celebration that day.

[@magnificentfailure2390]

Do I celebrate St. Patrick's Day? Well, my name is Patrick and my grandmother, who named me, was born on this day 130 years ago. Yes, I do remember the day and celebrate it. :)

[@jennifermorris6848]

Thanks for the shout out to the Kansas City parade. Reborn in 1973 over a conversation in a bar between a radio host, the bar owner and the head of an Irish family, it is a joyful experience definitely worth skipping school.

[@leesquee]

English subscriber here, no Irish links. I have never in my 53 years happened across any sort of St Patrick’s Day celebration at all over here. Most of the time I’m totally unaware the date, the same as the other Saints days. Never come across anyone opting to wear green. Sadly this probably means I haven’t known enough Irish people in my life, which is a shame! I wish I had known/thought about it in time to have sought out a green cupcake at least. If I think about St Patrick’s Day at all it’s only to tell me daughter to avoid going to an Irish chain pub as it would be absolutely packed! Anyway, thanks for the video and perhaps I will think ahead and plan some festivities for next year. Any excuse for a cupcake!

[@rachelc3279]

I am an Englisher too, with a small amount of Irish ancestry. The closest I have ever gotten to St Patrick's day celebrations was getting stuck behind a 'parade' when on a bus going into my nearest city. Lots of eye rolling ensued 😂 I barely even notice when it is St George's day. It is pretty meaningless to me and many people I know.

[@simhedgesrex7097]

A lot of Irish pubs in the UK celebrate.

[@brendafierro7962]

Love the Irish! Any excuse to celebrate other cultures is one of the best qualities of the US. Mexican folks in the US are also warm towards the Irish due to Catholic faith, affinity for spirits, humble down to earth personalities, rough past times, work ethic, and a gusto for life. Happy St. Patrick's day!

[@max2000warrior]

Not to mention the Saint Patrick's Battalion.

[@IosuamacaMhadaidh]

Also recognizing the mutual oppression by a colonial power, i.e. the San Patricios during the Mexican- American war.

[@estreetangel]

March 17 is also Evacuation Day which celebrates when British troops left Boston during the Revolutionary War. This is a public holiday in Suffolk County, MA, which is where Boston is located. Schools and many businesses are closed so that works out perfectly for people to be free to fully celebrate St. Patrick's Day all day and night.

[@Dshappystuff]

America is largely a country of immigrants. We recognize that our ancestors made huge sacrifices to begin a new life here. To pay respect to them we make sure to include that ancestry in our identity. We are proud of where we came from and proud to be American.

[@stephenlee5929]

Britain is also a county of immigrants, just like most of our history it goes further back than yours.

[@dianamurphy2954]

@@stephenlee5929 Mr. Lee I do not think our Native Americans or our Eskimos would agree with you. They have been here longer than England.

[@kaldo_kaldo]

@@stephenlee5929 I see so many Europeans say this but it's goofy and patently wrong. Why? We didn't pop into existence in 1776, we descend from you. Our history is your history until we became independent. Not to mention that we have all of your history up to the split plus the history of the native people too. You act like we're missing 1000s of years of European history, but that's inaccurate, we're only missing the last 250 years because before that is our history too. But you know what you're missing? 1000s of years of native American history.

[@stephenlee5929]

@@dianamurphy2954 Hi Diana Murphy ,not sure but UCL suggests Native Americans migrated from Asia about 15,000 years ago, 1st Humans arrived in Britain about 800,000 years ago. I agree I was not thinking of American Native History in my flippant answer Dshappystuff, but it does seem to apply, could be wrong.

[@stephenlee5929]

@@kaldo_kaldo I act like the US school system doesn't appear to teach any history prior to 1480's. I was mainly commenting that US seems to believe it is unusual it being 'a county of largely of immigrants', Britain is too, just its immigrants happened earlier and over a longer period of time.

[@nellgwenn]

I don't have any green cloths, but I do have a Waterford St. Patrick's Irish cross I wear.

[@MariahJade1]

Things like this are generally bigger here with immigrant diasporas and descendants. I think it starts as missing the homeland and then as a way to still feel that connection from somewhere far away and a reason to have fun. The township I live in in Pa. has the distinction of being labeled as the 33rd county of Ireland there were so many Irish here.

[@TheMichigami]

a lot of it is also bounce-back overcompensation, a lot of the ethnic festivals and holidays became such big things as a way to fight to retain some tiny bit of their own cultures blended with the new as a struggle against the violently-forced loss of culture and heavy bigotry and hatred a lot of the "new" immigrant groups faced when they arrived. its a part of their history a lot of groups don't talk about, but the trauma remains in their descendants as a reclaimed pride in their heritage where once they were made to feel ashamed of accents and ethnic dress and even their foods when they first got here. even columbus day was started as an attempt to quell some of the hate against italians at the time, poor choice of poster boy as he may have been with a better look at history, but they tried.

[@marybrewer2203]

I usually wear green on St. Patrick’s Day, but I also wear a bit of orange, which is also important.

[@diarmuidbuckley6638]

Intentionally the flag of the Republic is Green White and Orange; it was devised by Thomas Patrick Meagher, who fought in the (American) Civil War and became Governor of Montana

[@SherioCheers]

I have a green and gold dress I wear on St. Patrick's. It's a fun day to celebrate your history.

[@joermnyc]

I have one Irish Great-Grandmother… the rest were all Italian from the general areas around Napoli and Positano, but all of them came here over 100 years ago through Ellis Island.

[@beverlyjohnson8801]

I lived in Chicago for 35 years. I loved St. Pat's day. I wore a green T-shirt usually and I always made corned beef and cabbage and boiled potatoes. I hope you were able to celebrate with dedication. I'm not Irish but a have Irish and English in my blood line. I celebrate that some Irish decided to come here during the famine and my heart aches for the ones that didn't make it out.

[@fabienneclavier5984]

Better not talk about “st Pat’s day” with Irish people 😉

[@RO-ip3mo]

When my children were small, I made green (food coloring)eggs and ham for breakfast on St. Patrick's Day. With orange juice and pancakes (again, tinted with green food coloring). They loved it, of course. My son as a freshmen put green food coloring in the college ice cream dispenser in honor of St. Pat's.

[@mamadeb1963]

I celebrated the Jewish holiday of Purim, which just happened to fall on the Gregorian date of March 17th this year. It's a day of, among other things, feasting and drinking - even getting drunk. We, at least, enjoyed the coincidence.

[@conniethingstad1070]

my fb is full of Happy St. Pats day from Indiana family. Here in Dutch town Iowa, few are even aware of it. One of our dental students from Dublin used to say that the US celebrates St. Paddy's day more than the Irish. Indianapolis colors the canal green like Chicago does. it's so cool to see

[@nrrork]

There's the food. My corned beef and cabbage is almost ready to come out of the oven. I always boiled it before, so this will be interesting. And soda bread, obviously.

[@wpbgmail]

I'm celebrating St. Patrick's Day by watching your video and sipping on a single malt scotch because my Irish ancestors were Scotch-Irish which really means, Scotch.

[@aidanoleary636]

Just to note that in Ireland we do not have a set type of meal for St Patricks Day. It could be Beef, Lamb or Bacon. We do not eat corned beef in Ireland (perhaps a long time ago) but Bacon and Cabbage is a very popular dish here. Corned Beef and Cabbage is mainly a US dish.

[@nrrork]

@@aidanoleary636 Yeah, my understanding is immigrants used corned beef because it's just what was available. I always stock up this time of year because it's on sale. Last year I smoked it and made pastrami.

[@itrthho]

@@aidanoleary636 what about “bangers and mash”?

[@mer8795]

@@aidanoleary636 I'm sure there were potatoes in there some where. One Irish chef said, you can never have too many potatoes.

[@Ash_Ketchum_Pikachu]

Seattle, Washington is one place you forgot that celebrate St Patrick's Day with a downtown parade. I eat corned beef and cabbage on that day. I allways also wear green.

[@ellenthorne8222]

My Mum came from Co.Tipperary and had a small brooch of a glass of Guinness with shamrock next to the glass and wore it on something green every St.Patrick's Day, I wore it after Mum died till I lost it coming home late from work didn't notice.

[@maryjordan7649]

Where did this pinching idea come from......my heritage is mostly Irish and I don't remember it. Never had corn beef and cabbage growing up, the cooks in my family made ham and cabbage. I think this 'Irish' food came from what was available locally in the US.💚

[@mer8795]

You are correct. Most Irish immigrants were poor. They bought the closest food stuffs to Irish items they could find more cheap. They worked the jobs others didn't want and it was low pay. It seems every time a large ethnic group immigrated here , they were discriminated against - Irish, Italians, Germans, Puerto Ricans,..... takes awhile to get melted into "the pot" and become American. Well, that was TMI.

[@kennethcook9406]

RE wearing green, I've never had to worry about it, because my eyes are hazel (green/brown mix)

[@carschmn]

St. Paul, MN has a multi hour long St. Patrick’s Day parade / drunken meander. Everyone’s Irish on St. Patrick’s Day. I try to wear green and have corned beef and cabbage every year for St. Patrick’s Day. I’m 1/4 Irish. My grandpa was full but the family has been here for +100 years.

[@BadgerCheese94]

I was at the parade in St. Paul yesterday and it was a ton of fun

[@McCammalot]

I'm so incredibly glad I found this channel. (I actually started following it for the grammar; now I just follow it for all the stuff, buuuuuuut... especially being able to argue properly with my British Science Fiction author buddies, whom the pandemic made it so difficult to contact for so long...yes I might be a bit weird but so are they, it's why we get along)

[@vanessagherardini2885]

My mum was English. She would roll her eyes at wearing green and instead wore orange. We never had corned beef and cabbage growing up. When I happened to marry a man of Irish/ German decent she definitely held it against me. But we are the melting pot and I love the celebrations of all our cultures.

[@readmeup4402]

What does it mean? (The orange color)

[@christopherdwane2844]

@@readmeup4402 Orange is the colour associated with Protestant Unionists in Northern Ireland (i.e. the part of the population of NI who oppose reunification with the Republic of Ireland and instead wish to remain part of the UK). Given that Northern Irish history in the past 100 years has been characterised by conflict between Irish Nationalist and Unionist paramilitary groups, leading to the deaths of several thousand people, wearing orange on St Patrick's day is a pretty clear way to signal an opposition to Irish culture and identity (if you want to know more about the background look up "the Troubles")

[@readmeup4402]

@@christopherdwane2844 ok, i got it..and yes, i've heard about "the troubles"

[@michaelwhite2600]

I am from Savannah, Ga. I grew up thinking that everyone celebrated Saint Patrick’s Day because it was always a school holiday for me growing up there. I also thought it was normal to start drinking at 8am in my early adult years. I roller skated in the parade two years in a row ( sober because I no longer drink) for a friend’s charity float about 5 years ago . It was really interesting to see the progression of people getting drunker and drunker. That parade is really big . Our float was always one of the last , so we just sat there on the parade route for about 2-2 1/2 hours before we even started to move.

[@mnels5214]

Aw yeah, remember when I lived in Chicago going to the South Side parade and being amazed by what fun it was, this was a couple of years before they discontinued it because it was so rowdy. But even so, it's way more fun to celebrate by going to a small bar where everyone knows your name and be puked on by a friend, rather than a stranger, the way the spirit of St Patrick would have wanted.

[@lmnopgr]

@ M Nels hilariously expressed. ❤️from Chicago 🌈☘️

[@bsteven885]

Of course, now the South Side Irish Parade in Chicago has been revived (probably for business reasons -- so many bars along Western Ave. depend on the income), but the route is shorter so that local officials can better control the melee.

[@geedavia1785]

Nels I live in Beverly & I must admit, the rowdyness threw me off. Beverly is such a nice, generally quiet neighborhood that seems to get invaded 1-weekend in March. The first St. Patty's weekend I was aghasted at the beer can & drunks puking as if I was on Bourbon Street. It got so bad, the Police put up barriers to keep folks out the neighboring streets & on the main drag. Oh, BTW the Parade is back!

[@MrsKS1999]

After living in the Northwest for a few years I noticed that it wasn’t celebrated as much. They didn’t make as much of a big deal with the green. Glad to be back in Boston where it’s way more fun

[@levanapaduch3699]

I know for myself as I’m sure for many others, our ancestry is a way to identify “what” we are. Everyone here in America came from somewhere else. The cultures are many. I asked my mother when I was small “what are we?”. Her answer was “not enough of anything to spit at”… As an adult I did an ancestry DNA to find out. I’m a Celtic mix & so thrilled!!!

[@wessexdruid7598]

St Patrick's Day IS a public holiday in part of the UK - Northern Ireland. Whereas St George's Day isn't - anywhere.

[@Trifler500]

In grade school I forgot to wear green on St. Patrick's Day one year and to compensate, I taped a piece of grass to my shirt.

[@ljosephdumas3113]

Hi Lawrence. You nailed it about Americans celebrating our ancestry. My great-great-grandfather was Irish. TD McGuigan of County Tyrone Ulster.

[@1978rharris]

One big difference about our st paddy’s day in Britain as opposed to America…..no one here gives a toss! 😂 It’s become very evident that St Patrick’s day is more to do with America than Ireland now.

[@robertmills2375]

Get used to it, teabag.

[@priceringo1756]

Look at that algae bloom in the Chicago river!

[@daiman56]

St. Patrick the most celebrated Welsh man in America! born near St, Davids in West Wales.

[@Ducaso]

Savannah’s St. Patrick’s day was pretty wild the few times I’ve gone.

[@wendysplace3867]

YEP, you are correct Laurence! My great great...too many greats to count grand father Matthew Maybin from Belfast traveled with his family on the ship called the Pennsylvania Traveler to the Port of Charleston where they travel up through South Carolina in 1752. They settled in NC but smartly made their way to South Carolina :)

[@freeedr]

Thank you.

[@dawnak.3056]

My DNA says I'm 60% British and 20% Irish but I don't go around saying I'm British or Irish. That would just be weird since the last at least four or five generations of my immediate ancestors were born and raised right here in America.

[@timothycollins3829]

St. Patrick's Day, or at least March 17, is an official holiday (of sorts) in Boston. It's "Evacuation Day" and celebrates the day that the British evacuated Boston Harbor in 1776 during the Revolutionary War under the threat of cannons that had been installed on Dorchester Heights in South Boston. As a student growing up in South Boston, I have to confess that the holiday celebrated was St. Patrick's Day. I lived less than a tenth of a mile from the parade route and it was the biggest yearly parade in the city. And yes, large amounts of Irish related cheap plastic items were for sale.

[@barongerhardt]

If your blood great-great-aunt is your Irish connection, it would be cleaner to talk about their parent, your great-grandparent. As a proper Irish-American, my father's, mother's, mother's, father's (repeat x2-5 times) and his parents were strait from Ireland.

[@primmoore6232]

Our gym teacher in high school, Mrs. Johnson, asked us all to wear *ORANGE* 🧡 on March 17th. She said she was Northern Irish, where they wear orange, rather than green. Her maiden name was McGillicuddy. I still wear all 3 colors of the Irish flag for St. Patrick's Day. My grandmother was a Cavanah, so, yeah, I'm Irish, too! 💚🤍🧡☘ Slainte mhath!

[@melindar.fischer5106]

@Nicky L I once had a boss who wore orange 🧡 on St. Patrick's Day because she is Protestant. Up until then, I had never heard of people wearing orange on St. Patrick's Day. I know what each of the three colors of the Irish flag 🇮🇪 represents, but I imagine many other citizens of the USA don't. Green: Catholics, Orange: Protestants, White: peace between the two. 🇮🇪

[@primmoore6232]

@Nicky L - I'm Protestant, too.

[@MrPatrickgaffey]

@@primmoore6232 its not just that Orange is also represented the Prodestents Unioninist who hated the Catholic Irish nationlist and was part of the troubles

[@nidomhnail2849]

Boston is (kinda) public. St Patrick's day is considered a religious holiday. To make it public, the politicians also decreed that March 17th is Evacuation Day, the day that celebrates the evacuation of British forces from Boston. Check out the Wiki page for Evacuation day. Also, I was told that I wear the map of Ireland on my face so I forgo the wearing of the green. To date, I have not been pinched.

[@parypearl382]

I lived in Savannah when I was a kid, and I can remember being shocked that people outside the city still had to go to school on St. Patrick's Day.

[@therestingrancor8259]

Fun Fact: St Patrick was born in Britain, of a Romanized family. He was sold to Ireland as a slave. He brought Christianity to Ireland.💚

[@Author.Noelle.Alexandria]

Patrick was also an asshole. The "snakes" he "drove out" were pagans, and methods of "convincing" included murder. I have no qualms about making fun of him on St. Patrick's Day.

[@therestingrancor8259]

@@Author.Noelle.Alexandria I have to agree. I'm not a fan of religion in general, let alone Christianity.

[@MrPatrickgaffey]

fun fact St patricks first ever parade took place in New York

[@joannevendshus5075]

I'm not any part Irish. Didn't wear green today. Told the first person to say they'll pinch me to go ahead and get slapped back. LOL

[@tootz1950]

oooh, you're fun.

[@INDYANDY4C]

Yes, I often celebrate it (mother’s maiden name was O’Riley) and as a a soldier, I wore green 365, but as a fun F-U, I wore an Army buddy’s (Anglican) Beret he gave me. He was stationed in Belfast, and joined our Army for US citizenship.

[@ossiningsue]

My grandfather insisted on stew for St. Patrick’s Day, made of mutton. We, the kids , all hated it. When my dear grandfather passed away we either had beef stew or corned beef and cabbage. Mom took care of us. My mother’s maiden name was McDonald and my maiden name is McLoughlin

[@chitlitlah]

We Americans like excuses to party and get drunk even if it's someone else's holiday, like Saint Patrick's Day or Cinco de Mayo. We can't wait from New Year's Day until Memorial Day for a celebration, so this is a good in-betweener. Now, when is Bastille Day again?

[@lindajack1391]

July 14th

[@joycastle.]

As much as Americans love to proclaim their ancestry, I've yet to come across one that was proud to be "French", though. Is that because the French emigrants all went to Canada (if they didn't take a wrong turn Mid-atlantic and ended up in Louisiana)?

[@LindaC616]

Exactly

[@LindaC616]

@@joycastle. some folks in LA came from Canada (the story of Evangeline)

[@BaWBarmy]

The big difference here is that you need 'excuses' to party and get drunk. In the UK thats any weekend.

[@keviny1936]

Bally Castle Sausage Roll for dinner with Guiness and yes, I wore green.

[@karenogush5622]

I don't always wear green, but I almost always have a good corned beef and cabbage dinner with all the trimmings.

[@rhiahlMT]

Butte, Montana shuts down and parties all day long. It's wild down there on St. Patrick's day. This was a great year for it though the temperature was around 50 degrees. It's a rough day when it's -10.

[@Deeplycloseted435]

I’ve seen professional colleagues vomit and pee in the street during the daytime on St. Paddy’s Day.....and those were the ladies. I’m a dad now, so can’t get shitty in the daytime anymore......but I had some wild times in Chicago on this “holiday” aka, an excuse to get day drunk beyond college.

[@LindaC616]

Including cops in dress uniform (South side post-parade and "death march")....

[@erglelergle8476]

When my kids were little leprechauns would make mischief in the night and leave chocolate coins for them.

[@kailomonkey]

I'm British. I always forget it til people are doing it. I will have an occasional guiness on St Patricks day. One year I discovered the secret of good guiness as it just tasted really nice on such a day, and I found out that the reason it often tastes like ashtray in Britain is that it sits in the pumps through lack of drinkers. A pint pulled through first make it taste silky smooth like a Caffreys which isn't around anymore.

[@TastySandwich100]

It's so sad that Caffrey's isn't about anymore

[@kailomonkey]

@@TastySandwich100 Yea it was great. For anyone that doesn't know it, it was a bitter. Light brown in colour but a bit cloudy? Tasted clean and had a slightly creamy texture to drink. So good.

[@mikechmielewski386]

Laurence will probably enjoy the fact that St. Patrick's Day is the same day as the Massachusetts state holiday Evacuation Day (the day when the Redcoats abandoned Boston in the War of Independence). Very descriptive of what frequently happens to the contents of many people's stomachs before the end of the day :)

[@ericariley1696]

Happy St. Patrick's Day Laurence. It's relieving to know that it IS celebrated in the UK as well as the U.S.

[@claregale9011]

We do st George's day -England , St David's day - wales , St Andrews day - scotland . I'm in England 🙂👋✌

[@MrPatrickgaffey]

celebrating St patricks day in uk is not the same as Us

[@jacquelyns9709]

In San Antonio we dye the river green. Many restaurants serve green beer and wine. (During normal times.) We also have the largest MLK Day parade in the nation. Although we had to cancel it again due to COVID this year.

[@elyenidacevedo1995]

I lived in savannah Georgia for all my life and yes almost everyone wore green.

[@kittysweetwater3239]

Being definitely Irish ☘️ on both sides (Irish gran from Dublin on my dad’s side and Irish/German both grandparents on my mom’s) we always celebrate. Parade followed by stories over a corned beef and cabbage dinner. Lovely!

[@petuniagranny2758]

I was brought up to bring orange on St Patricks day. lol I still can't bring myself to wear green.

[@elisam.r.9960]

I admit I was super excited to see the corncobs in the video. That might have been my favorite part, not gonna lie. Also, I see you are continuing your efforts to make grenliness a word.

[@camillecali22]

I am not Irish but growing up in New York I made Irish soda bread every year. I went to the parade and or a big party where we drank green beer. We had green bagels for breakfast and corned beef canbage and potatoes for dinner only on St Pattys day.

[@kristinesharp6286]

The fourth largest neighborhood of Irish people in the US is Mount Greenwood in Chicago along with Beverly the neighborhood next to it has a large parade in Beverly. Starts with mass a local parish, then the parade, often food with family after. It has had attendance of up to 200K. Lots of events leading up to the day of course.

[@maureencoyle666]

Boston here!! I have to argue that you are wrong (sort of) about us not having a state holiday for St Patrick. Well, its not national or even state wide, just Boston, Suffolk County), but being the home of the Revolutionary war, we celebrate “Evacuation Day” on March 17 each year. It’s the date Bostonians (Minutemen) drove the “redcoats” out of Boston, and they never returned. I guess they didn’t like our recipe for their tea. (But Brits are totally welcome now)!! It was the first American battle of the Revolutionary War dated, March 17, 1776! It started being officially celebrated on 11/25/1773, and was somehow re-routed back to March 17. Happy St Pat’s Day everyone!! ☘️🍻

[@Booger414]

My family was from Massachusetts (although I grew up elsewhere), and while teachers would tell us all to wear green on that day, my mother sent us to school in red, white & blue to celebrate evacuation day. 3/17 was also the day the revolutionary government of Boston chased pout the British troops. To my mother this was a far more important day.

[@HOGH-HOP]

I’m not Irish even though I’m accused of my being Irish every St. Patrick’s Day (“you look Irish!”) My name and my red hair come from Scotland! I wonder if I should wear orange out of rebellion?

[@Chaotic_Pixie]

I mean, Celtic.... At least they got that part right.

[@LindaC616]

Same for me, "you look Irish "

[@chrisk5651]

The Scots who gave their name to Scotland originally came from Ireland and so did Scottish Gaelic There was a lot of back and forth between the two.

[@chrismccray361]

St. Patrick was actually Scottish orange 🧡

[@simhedgesrex7097]

You mean wear a colour that is on the Irish flag and represents part of the island of Ireland? Go for it!

[@riverlady982]

I hate wearing green because it doesn't like me either but on St.Patrick's Day in America if I will be in a school or bar I will usually wear a 4 leaf clover or something. I don't really count that as wearing green and wonder if it would affect that poll at all. It's enough to satisfy the people who will say something.

[@stevedavis5704]

I always just skated by the issue with the fact I have (somewhat) green eyes. I remember in grade school someone would get in trouble every year cuz they would show off their green which was one of the colors in the elastic waist band on BVD underwear. We would get the lecture about how good boys don’t show off their underwear then sit in the room desperately trying to not laugh. The good old days when show and tell with your underwear was the funniest rebel act you could do.

[@hedruum]

Way to represent Chicago, Lawrence!

[@ImpendingJoker]

Was based in Savanna for a few years, and I was surprised to find out that they had the biggest St. Patrick's Day celebration in the southeast.

[@kimberlywhalen8564]

My papaw Vaughan was from Ireland and I make stew and corn beef sandwich on that day but this year was different as I have no kitchen right now due to we are remolding

[@kathlelan]

I have so many Irish ancestors and relatives it's ridiculous. My paternal grandfather, Robert Quinn, was brought from Dublin to NYC to be the lead tenor in the chorus of the Metropolitan Opera around 1912. Luv ya Laurence.

[@dorismidge8762]

I wore green, but I didn’t partake in drinking green beer, eating corned beef and cabbage, or looking for that proverbial pot of gold…I just reminded myself about how much trouble I have saying Irish wristwatch.

[@JasonCliftJones]

Patty is the shorthand for Patricia, her day is in August. #PaddyNotPatty Patrick is spelt Pádraig in Irish, prob why it's abbreviated to Paddy with a d instead.

[@nokomarie1963]

Huh. I do really consider myself to be Irish-American as all eight of my great grandparents were from Ireland. I never even saw corned beef and cabbage until I married (I still think it's inedibly dank). My family usually has lamb and colcannon with soda bread, and, for my mother, St. Patrick's day was a holy day of obligation. Yes, if it landed on the weekend, we kids were hauled off to church, special. At least the church was St. Patricks, so it seemed fitting.

[@gallowglass2630]

Nokomarie Corned Beef and cabbage is not a thing and never was in ireland.Its a thing that developed in the irish community in america ,because irish style bacon was not as readily available so they used corned beeef instead

[@nokomarie1963]

@@gallowglass2630 So I've heard...they were trying to recreate a coddle. Corned beef on rye with sharp mustard is an excellent thing, and corned beef boiled in a pot with cabbage and potatoes is depressing and often a gelatinous mess.

[@calicolyon]

I have a small sliver. My great great grandfather was born in Canada.

[@josephdoyle5304]

You missed Denver Colorado's Saint Patrick's Day Parade which is held on the Saturday before 3/17 or on 3/17 if that day falls on a Saturday. This is. To minimize traffic disruption and maximize attendance/participation.

[@peterharbinson8679]

Working on a large building in London the boss gave a speech. He said how brilliant everything was going but we needed one more push to finish. Therefore anyone who did not come in on the 17th (st pats) was sacked. Everyone went back to work and said nothing. The day after st pats we came back to work with mad hangover. Apparently hardly any one weighed in , even the English. The boss looked cross but keeper quite.

[@frankscarborough1428]

Loved the vid thanks Laurence

[@Isolder74]

Irish Soda Bread is a must on St Patrick's Day.

[@elultimo102]

A couple of things nobody mentions: It's St. PADDY's Day (Patty is a girl's name). From what I heard, the Catholics wear green. Protestants are supposed to wear orange, as in William of Orange. (IDK how valid this is).

[@primmoore6232]

North Irish often wear orange, according to my gym teacher back in high school. She asked everyone to wear orange on March 17th. I still do, along with green.

[@fabienneclavier5984]

the Irish hate hearing “St Patty”. I’m not Irish but I don’t like either.

[@bradleycaffee4253]

I think Protestant orange-wearing on St. Patrick's Day is contrarian. Oddly enough, blue is the color of St. Patrick. Green is just Irish, l think, Catholic or Protestant.

[@mariankelly8224]

I grew up in Belfast and now live in Dublin. I've never heard of anyone wearing Orange on St Patrick's day. I think it's a lovely thing that people from other countries celebrate this day, maybe not so much the alcohol aspect of it though. We're a small country, but to see so many places that light up various buildings red green is a real feel good factor for me and many others. Enjoy the day no matter what your heritage, learn a bit more about Ireland, believe it or not as have much more to offer than just pubs. It's a beautiful country and you're welcome to come over anytime.

[@allanlank]

Yes I will be celebrating St. Paddy's Day, during the parade on the 20th. My grandfather will be spinning in his grave as his parade day was July 12th. The "Glorious 12th" celebrates the victory of a Dutch king and his German mercenaries over a Scottish king and his French mercenaries for the possession of the English throne, at he "Battle of the Boyne" in Ireland.