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St. Patrick’s Day is an Irish holiday that is celebrated every year in March, but it’s not just the Irish that enjoy this festive occasion. In fact, people around the nation celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with parades, green attire and even parties that bring family and friends together. Speaking of family, there are a number of ways that you can make St. Patrick’s Day a festive and fun-filled family holiday.

Take Part In a Parade

Whether you are involved directly or simply enjoy watching a St. Patrick’s Day parade from the sidelines, make sure that you attend at least one. These festive events include everything from music to floats and local residents coming together to celebrate this annual holiday. You can enjoy a parade with your family by participating together, or simply by watching from afar.

Dress The Part

One of the longest standing traditions for St. Patrick’s Day is the requirement of green attire. Whether it’s a shirt, shamrock pin, pants or even a jacket, not wearing green often means you get pinched from good-natured family and friends. If you want to join in on the celebration as a family, make sure that everyone is wearing green before leaving the house.

Have A Party

If you really want to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, do so by hosting a party in your home. You can invite family, friends, neighbors and other local residents who share in your festiveness. Because the color green is so commonly associated with St. Patrick’s Day, it’s only natural that you would want to serve lime JELL-O, ice cream and even green KOOL-AID to your guests. Don’t forget to decorate with the green theme in mind by using holiday plates, cups and napkins, table coverings, streamers and even balloons.

Festive Dining

For Thanksgiving, many families eat turkey. For St. Patrick’s Day, many families eat cabbage because, well, it’s green. Green beans, vegetables, spinach, fruits and other green foods also remain popular choices for those looking to dine with the green theme in mind.

Look For Luck

When it comes to luck, the four-leaf clover is a very common symbol and it is also associated with St. Patrick’s Day. This means that one of the best ways to enjoy family fun on this festive holiday is to go out in search of four-leaf clovers. Children especially love this and they feel a great sense of accomplishment if they locate the rare find. One of the greatest places to start looking is in your own backyard.

If you are throwing a St. Paddy’s Day celebration this year, here are a few great ideas for a menu that your guests will love, and that will make the event a little more family friendly!

Traditional Fare With A Twist

There are a few ways you can create appetizing nibbles for your guests while still keeping the Irish theme. Try adding some Guinness to a cheddar fondue, or a few twists with the infamous Irish potato such as serving roasted potato wedges or potato skins. You can also use the color green as a food-related theme in your menu by serving such things as a spinach dip or guacamole. Certainly not traditional Irish fare, but they will definitely be a hit at any St. Patrick’s Day Party!

Going The More Traditional Route

If you want to delight your guests with a more traditional menu, then your best bet is going with a sit-down dinner. Corned beef and cabbage is definitely about as traditional as it gets, but you can also choose a more popular vegetable for the finicky eaters, such as broccoli. Potatoes should definitely make an appearance on the plate of a traditional St. Patrick’s Day feast, and mashed goes well with the corned beef. If you are really feeling ambitious then try making some Irish soda bread to accompany the meal. For dessert, a cake decorated with a shamrock will finish off the meal nicely.

Don’t Forget The Drinks!

Let’s face it, St. Patrick’s Day wouldn’t be St. Patrick’s Day without a few drinks, but for those you don’t like a thick stout or green beer and are looking for a more family friendly option, there are alternatives. If you prefer cocktails, then any drink with a little crème de menthe added for the green color can add a festive touch. Whiskey is also a very popular Irish drink and can be served straight or mixed. For the non-alcoholic crowd or the kids any drink with a green color, such as limeade, will keep the theme going.

St. Patrick’s Day is a great time to have a party with friends and family, and these tips can help you create an event to suit any taste!