Ahhh…St. Patrick’s Day. The one day of the year when it’s socially acceptable to get your drink on and party before 5 p.m. With March 17th falling on a Sunday this year, we have an entire weekend of celebration. If you are of age of course 🙂
Before I spin off my tips for a great St. Patrick’s Day weekend, we must first begin with a little history lesson.
So according to a mythical legend, St. Patrick’s Day has been celebrated in Ireland for over 1,00 years, and on this day, our friend St. Patrick flew over Ireland on a green sled, which was led by leprechauns, dropping kegs of beer down all the Irish chimneys. Just kidding.
Saint Patrick, the patron saint is credited for bringing Christianity to Ireland., and many people throughout the world celebrate St. Patrick’s Day on the anniversary of his death, with a food, drink and all things green. Nowadays hardly anyone knows who St. Patrick was or that he actually is associated with the colour blue, not green. Somewhere along the celebrations it got changed to green and we were all too busy drinking to care. Right.
The point is, everybody gets to be Irish on St. Patrick’s Day. So let’s get to it! Follow these solid steps for St. Patrick’s day prep!
Step One – Wear green.
Trust me, unless you want to get the shit pinched out of you by a bunch of annoying drunks, follow my advice and wear something green. Check out the local thrift shops or Dollarama for green St. Patrick’s Day accessories. I love any chance to dress up in costume and I like to go all out on St. Patrick’s Day. I plan on looking extremely awesome like this guy:
Step Two – Pace Yourself
It’s easy to get carried away on St. Paddy’s Day with all that green beer flowing, but it’s harder than it looks! Whatever colour liquid you consome, remember to do it safely! First of all nobody likes feeling like death the next day so be smart about your alcohol consumption. Secondly, pacing yourself means more green in your wallet. Keep that in mind. Also important: An Irish Car Bomb is a shot of Irish whiskey and a shot of Irish cream dropped into a glass of Guinness. People will be calling these “breakfast.” Do not fall for it. Finally, remember to take breaks with plenty o’water and load up on plenty o’grub at the pub. Or if you like to cook, try out these St. Patrick’s Day recipes.
Step Three – Plan your night accordingly
There are lots of parties and pubs to choose from. The Psychology Students’ Association is hosting a St. Patrick’s Day pub night at the Ram on Friday night. That could be a good start. Don’t forget to plan a safe and sober ride home!
Step Four – Music
Get your ipod playlist ready now. Not solely Irish but try some of this celtic flavoured music: The Dropkick Murphy’s. Flogging Molly. The Pogues. The Dubliners. Great Big Sea. The Mahones. The Oysterband.
Sidenote: You will probably be sick of these bands by the end of the weekend considering every pub in Toronto will have them on repeat.
Step Five – Get Crafty
If you are hosting a party or having friends over why not cover your home in Origami Shamrocks or these other St. Patrick’s Day decorations?
Step Six – Go to the Toronto St. Patrick’s Day Parade
Lucky for Ryerson students, the parade route goes right past our school so no excuses not to attend! The parade is on Sunday March 17th and starts at 12 noon. Here’s a map of the route:
Step Seven – Abstain
If you really want to avoid feeling like crap the next day, then follow my advice and don’t drink before you head to the bar. Or, don’t drink at all. This might sound difficult, but it’s really quite simple. Avoid the pub for 100% success.
Step Eight – Paint The Town green!
As you venture into this weekend with a bright green clover tattooed across your face, stumbling slowly back to your home, do your best to remember these rules and you will have a disaster-free weekend.
Good Luck o the Irish to ya!
