What's so big about St Patrick's Day?

I am Irish, with the red hair and all. I never knew why this was such a big deal here in the US. Then again, I was never very interested in my ancestry until recently. Can somebody please tell me why this is celebrated?

What's so big about St Patrick's Day?

Well you might not like the reason. It originated as a celebration of converting the Irish to Christianity, the driving out of the snakes refers to the Pagans.

What's so big about St Patrick's Day?

Greetings, fellow red-head. I never thought of it as being a huge deal. The whole holiday is based around Catholics and Protestants fighting each other. I never really saw any appeal in it.

What's so big about St Patrick's Day?

because st. patrick invented guinness for us to drink.

seriously though... back in the day, there was a legend claiming that st. patrick, or Pretty Pat as he was called at the time by the ladies, had banished all the snakes from the emerald isle. but as it turns out, there never were any snakes, and most believe the ''snakes'' were an alliteration for the druids, who were pagan priests/priestesses of sorts.

What's so big about St Patrick's Day?

It gives people a reason to get drunk and act foolish. That's it.

What's so big about St Patrick's Day?

Being Catholic plays a major part in the holiday as it reminds of of who we are and where we came from. No longer Catholic, but Irish to the bone.

What's so big about St Patrick's Day?

nothing..

What's so big about St Patrick's Day?

the very first St Patrick celebration was held in the US. :) Ireland could really care less about the day.

What's so big about St Patrick's Day?

It's my birthday!

What's so big about St Patrick's Day?

We're a celebratory society, so St. Patrick's day is much like Valentine's day -- an excuse to "have fun" in the winter months.

What's so big about St Patrick's Day?

there's lots of people with irish roots here, me included....but i guess not as irish as you cuz im blonde.

What's so big about St Patrick's Day?

Saint Patrick was a priest that brought salvation to Ireland and aided in it's solidarity.

What's so big about St Patrick's Day?

cuz everybody luvs beer and green! im Irish too. I like the holiday! I think it's a really good excuse to pinch someone.

What's so big about St Patrick's Day?

The Irish wanted their own holiday, a holiday that was all about the Irish, so............................

What's so big about St Patrick's Day?

ALCOHOL.

That's why.

What's so big about St Patrick's Day?

Nothing. Just another reason to get drunk.

What's so big about St Patrick's Day?

St. Patrick is believed to have driven the snakes from Ireland. Once a pagan himself, St. Patrick is one of Christianity's most widely known figures. The modern secular holiday is based on the original Christian saint's feast day also thought to be the date of the saint's death. In 1737, Irish immigrants to the United States began observing the holiday publicly in Boston and held the first St. Patrick's Day Parade in New York City in 1766. Today, the tradition continues with people from all walks and heritages by wearing green, eating Irish food, and attending parades. St. Patrick's Day is bursting with folklore; from the shamrock to the leprechaun and to pinching those that are not wearing green. St. Patrick's Day is celebrated on March 17, his religious feast day and the anniversary of his death in the fifth century. The Irish have observed this day as a religious holiday for thousands of years. On St. Patrick's Day, which falls during the Christian season of Lent, Irish families would traditionally attend church in the morning and celebrate in the afternoon. Lenten prohibitions against the consumption of meat were waived and people would dance, drink, and feast閳ユ攼n the traditional meal of Irish bacon and cabbage. The first St. Patrick's Day parade took place not in Ireland, but in the United States. Irish soldiers serving in the English military marched through New York City on March 17, 1762. Along with their music, the parade helped the soldiers to reconnect with their Irish roots, as well as fellow Irishmen serving in the English army.

Over the next thirty-five years, Irish patriotism among American immigrants flourished, prompting the rise of so-called "Irish Aid" societies, like the Friendly Sons of Saint Patrick and the Hibernian Society. Each group would hold annual parades featuring bagpipes (which actually first became popular in the Scottish and British armies) and drums.

What's so big about St Patrick's Day?

St. Patrick's Day commemorates the patron saint of Ireland and is a day to celebrate Irish culture.

St. Patrick's Blue, not green, was the colour long-associated with St. Patrick. Green, the colour most widely associated with Ireland, with Irish people, and with St. Patrick's Day in modern times, may have gained its prominence through the phrase "the wearing of the green" meaning to wear a shamrock on one's clothing. At many times in Irish history, to do so was seen as a sign of Irish nationalism or loyalty to the Roman Catholic faith. St. Patrick used the shamrock, a three-leaved plant, to explain the Holy Trinity to the pre-Christian Irish. The wearing of and display of shamrocks and shamrock-inspired designs have become a ubiquitous feature of the saint's holiday.[8] The change to Ireland's association with green rather than blue probably began around the 1750s

What's so big about St Patrick's Day?

St.Patrick was kidnapped and enslaved by the Irish {he was British} after several years in captivity he escaped and returned to his homeland.

Once he got there he converted to Christianity in the 5th century I think.

He became a priest and returned to Ireland to convert the pagans and was very successful in that he started several churches and monasteries.

During the potato famine many Irish moved to the U.S. Canada and Australia and brought with them St.Patrick.

I think he became so popular because he is celebrated during Lent a time in which Catholics give up drinking and such during that time but it was acceptable to the Irish to have a few drinks During the feast of St.Patrick making the holiday very festive indeed and therefore popular.

Btw Irish got red hair because our Irish ancestors were mixed with Vikings that is where red hair originally came from. Or so I read in a science magazine though one of the Pharoahs of ancient Egypt was a red head as well.

What's so big about St Patrick's Day?

It's a big deal here in the USA because of the Christians.

St. Patrick wasn't born in Ireland and he certainly wasn't Irish. He was a missionary that came there and caused the near extinction of the indigenous culture and religion.