St Patrick's day; Why do you people even care?

Today is St Paddy's day and everybody is running around wearing green pretending to be Irish. Being Irish and Catholic myself, it makes perfect sense for me and my family to celebrate this holiday.

What has me wondering though is; why the heck would anyone who's not Irish and especially not Catholic care about this holiday? I watched the St Patrick's day parade in Philly this weekend and it was such a Catholic event, its a wonder it wasn't banned by the city with all the new pedo priest scandals brewing here. Every group that went by, there was mention of which parish they belonged to, who their priests were, etc..

America being traditionally anti-Catholic, it strikes me as odd that a Catholic holiday such as this should be celebrated so widely. Mix in the unfriendly welcome the Irish received in the country specifically for being Catholic and it really makes you wonder.

What is it about the Irish people or culture which makes people in this country want to go about pretending to be one of us for one day each year? Is there something about the Irish that you admire or is this just an excuse to run around in green and drink a lot of beer?

Its just an excuse to drink, thats why I celebrate it anyways. I'm a McDonald but not sure if that makes me Irish or not. I also celebrate Mardi Gras which is pretty much a Catholic holiday too . I'm not religious though.

Originally posted by FortAnthem

Is there something about the Irish that you admire or is this just an excuse to run around in green and drink a lot of beer?

How can anyone deny themselves a reason to celebrate? I don't celebrate St. Patrick's day solely, but my friends do, and I enjoy being out with while having a good time. It's just something to do for most where I live.

It is not the Irish we are celebrating. It is not Catholics we are celebrating. It is St. Patrick himself. Why would white people celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day? Make sense?

reply to post by FortAnthem


I love snakes so I don't care much for this holiday.
Besides,I find it dumb to be proud of something you didn't accomplish.
The only green I own is camo so I won't be dressing in green or those fighting Irish might get the wrong idea.
I don't mind the beer part though.

Originally posted by CastleMadeOfSand
It is not the Irish we are celebrating. It is not Catholics we are celebrating. It is St. Patrick himself. Why would white people celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day? Make sense?

Many don't look at it with meaning, it's the action of celebrating which draws the crowd. And Martin Luther King day is celebrated because he was a GREAT man, not because he was African-American.

They do it to party and have fun, same with Cinco De Mayo. I have Irish and English parents but most would just say I am American as I was born here, we eat corn beef and hash as a traditional meal. Who cares about who's celebrating what, as long as people are coming together to enjoy each other. Would you rather people fight or celebrate? That's all it really comes down to. Top O the Morning to ya.

reply to post by FortAnthem


There is nothiing wrong with celebrating St.Paddys day if your not Irish. My best friends family is Irish and Im celebrating with them today. I dont hear any of them complaining that people are celebrating their culture.

reply to post by ucantcme


I'm not complaining about people celebrating Irish culture. Its always just puzzled me that so many non-Irish people make such a big deal about this holiday.

RUBBERBANDITS

Brilliant! Im Irish, i live in Ireland and it's an excuse to drink here as it is everywhere else...
The older folks in Ireland might bring their kids to the parades and things but the younger generation.?? Drink.

Excuse to drink beer FTW!!

reply to post by CastleMadeOfSand


Martin Luther King day is a federal holiday and people get off work and school for it. Give people a paid day off and they'll celebrate just because its an extra day off.

When I was in school, we didn't have off but, everybody went to an assembly where we watched movies about King and talked about what he did. Back then we actually learned to appreciate King's accomplishments. Today, people (especially the kids) just think its an excuse to kick back for a day and tend to forget who they are celebrating.


Me, I don't celebrate Cinco De Mayo because I'm not spanish and I don't really know what that holiday is all about.

Nobody gets the day off for St Paddy's day but, they all celebrate it anyway. Why does St Paddy's day have such wide appeal to so many people?

Tradition?

I don't know, but it's always been the case that it's a day of celebration in the US. A significant portion of our population is of Irish descent. Maybe they always looked like they were having so much fun on that day, everyone else just jumped in to participate. You know, any excuse for a celebration.

At least in my part of the country (midwest) we do a lot of Oktoberfesting as well. Even the people with non-German heritage. Maybe it's a beer thing, although personally, I've never required a particular reason to drink some beer.

Here is why I celebrate

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/fb2c67ddf798.jpg[/atsimg]

It's his birthday!

just an excuse to run around in green and drink a lot of beer?

Dammit! They're on to us!!!

Seriously, we're all up for any excuse to have a party.

I'm not a Christian either, but I celebrate Christmas. Some things are just fun.

Aha - you learn something new every day!

I was just thinking - why is there no Holiday for Bohemians?

But then I did a bit of poking and found this:
Wencelaus

There is a patron saint for Czechs, St. Wencelaus, and a Holiday too - 28 September

YAY!

I went to school in US though and this is not a US Holiday, maybe why I did not know.

This is the same guy who is the "Good King Wencelaus" - that I did know.

Maybe I will throw a party on 28 Sept

I am having some beer right now so - Happy St. Patrick's Day too!

I am drinking beer from El Salvador, maybe I should say? - Bueno dio de Santo Patricio?

Cheers

Honestly, most people just use it as a vehicle to get plastered on alcohol, and that's it.
I seriously doubt 90% of Americans know anything about st. Patty's day.

I'm half-Irish myself, and it's always been a big event for us.

FYI- The first St. Patrick's Day Parade in the world was held in NYC 250 years ago, back before our nation even existed. It was the work of Irish immigrants (Most of whom were Protestant), and it wasn't until very recently that the Irish back "Home" in Ireland started celebrating the way which we do. The Irish actually celebrated it as a religious holiday mostly, but we Irish-Americans additionally turned it into a festival of pride regarding our heritage. As usual, America took something, made it even better, and it has now spread back overseas! Also, St. Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland, regardless of Christian denomination, and there's nothing wrong with celebrating him even if you're not Catholic. I'm not Catholic myself, but I hold a firm belief in St. Patrick as well as sainthood in general; and there is even an ancient church in Northern Ireland that has my family's name inscribed into it, and St. Patrick used that particular church to deliver sermons and such.

Btw, even if you're not Irish, or you don't have any lick of heritage from Ireland whatsoever, heck, even if you're not Christian, have FUN! I personally welcome all


!Erin Go Bragh, agus Beannachtaí na Féile Pádraig oraibh!

(!Ireland Forever, and St. Patrick's Day Blessing Upon You!)

I wish more people would celebrate my Saint,

I get funny looks, physically harmed, and sometimes even embarrassed (god forbid), when I run around dressed like a Beefeater, drunk on gallons of tea, grinning a mouth of brown teeth, and yelling St. George, on the 23rd of April every year.

Where are you all then huh? What's so special about Patric that George doesn't have?

Originally posted by ANOK
I wish more people would celebrate my Saint,

I get funny looks, physically harmed, and sometimes even embarrassed (god forbid), when I run around dressed like a Beefeater, drunk on gallons of tea, grinning a mouth of brown teeth, and yelling St. George, on the 23rd of April every year.

Where are you all then huh? What's so special about Patric that George doesn't have?

huh?