For my family and me, St. Patrick’s day is the second-most involved holiday of the year. The work put into the celebration starts a week before when we start making our neighborhood famous Irish potatoes, a desert made of coconut and cinnamon. For that entire week leading up to the day, my family rolls around 300-500 potatoes. When the day finally arrives, my siblings and I give them out to our neighbors, school teachers and close family friends.
We typically make Irish food for dinner as well. My mom makes a solid shepherd’s pie, but corn beef and cabbage will never taste good no matter who cooks it. In years past, when my family was not as busy, we would throw a huge St. Patrick’s day house party. I remember these parties being filled with people decked out with green attire and a friendly attitude.
The American version of St. Patrick’s day has morphed into a day of national celebration. Despite this, I believe that St. Patrick’s day is a way to spread Irish culture and traditions around America. It’s a day where everybody and anybody can go out with friends or family and be Irish, whether that’s by going to a pub or looking out for leprechauns.