The history of wearing green is connected to a series of revolutions that took place in Ireland in opposition to the English Crown. We understand that, right? Interestingly enough, BEFORE the revolution, light blue was the color of Ireland and St. Patrick.
Chicago would have to spend less money dying it's river BLUE instead of GREEN if that was still the case. To make it even more confusing, if you were Catholic, you wore green. If you were protestant, you wore orange. It seems they couldn't decide on the color of revolution, but in general, green meant independence.
Going back even further, the REAL reason you wear green is because it makes you invisible to leprechauns. You weren't aware of that?? If you do NOT wear green, they will be able to see you and thereafter, PINCH you just as a reminder they are there. In my younger days, I didn't mind getting pinched at ALL!!
When I was working for a living, our County offices had a St. Patrick's Day luncheon. No green beer, but they did have green punch. I thought how funny it would be to have a huge bowl of green potato salad. I worked all night and made my best version, throwing in a few drops of green food coloring into the mayonnaise dressing. It was gorgeous if I do say so myself. I thought THIS is going to be fun!
Not so much fun after all. Even though I KNEW it was regular potato salad, my brain couldn't get past the green color. It kept expecting a different flavor. I wasn't the only one either. It seems no one could get past the vibrant green color so no one ate it. I was stuck with green salad for about seven days that I had to eat with my eyes closed. I'm pretty sure the last of it was buried in the cemetery.
So wear green of some kind or other so you are invisible and have a little green beer along with some corned beef and cabbage. Let's help the Irish celebrate their independence!!
Thank you Nancy for all that St. Patrick's Day trivia! I never knew. I have ever since I chose my own clothing, worn green on this day. Without even knowing I could be pinched! So, I will continue and although I don't have much green, I'll find something to honour their independence. :D
ReplyDeleteAs usual, there's a lot more history to it ... I just never knew about the pinching!!
DeleteGuess I am going to get pinched I don't have any green. But thanks for all this very important information.
ReplyDeleteWhen we were growing up we used have green mashed potatoes for St. Patricks day and red ones for Christmas, It has been I while since I have done that.
And did you EAT those green potatoes? I also am short in the green department. Come to think of it, I didn't wear green at all!
DeleteYes we did eat the green potatoes cause they seem special, lol...
DeleteFunny how one's mind affects our food. In the restaurant I had smelled Cod gone bad so many times, I told Marcia that I will NEVER eat cod because I can't get the smell out of my head when I smell 'good' cod cooking. Not much of a fish person anyway, like Salmon, Trout, fried Catfish and a few others. NO WAY on Cod or Halibut (Halibut was another of those fish we served in the steakhouse). Now WHY I can stand lobster, clams, scallops and shrimp is beyond me because I have smelled them go bad before too...it is just in my head....
ReplyDeleteOh yuck .. I don't think there is anything worse than fish gone bad and I can definitely smell it now!!! Thanks Dave!! LOL
DeleteWe never coloured anything Green for St Patrick's Day but Did that for Easter one year. Our son had Green Eggs and Ham, our oldest daughter had Pink and our youngest Purple. They all loved but my late wife promised to Bop me if I coloured her food.
ReplyDeleteBe Safe and Enjoy!
It's about time.
Oh gosh ... I'm not sure I could eat green eggs ... or pink ...
Delete🤢🌲🌳🌴🌱🌵🌿☘️🍀🎍🎋🍃🌾🌎🌍🌏🍏🍐🍈🥝🥑🥒🌽🥗🍵🎾⛳️🚛🚞🛣🏕🛤🏡📟🔋🔫🔖📗📚💚🈯️💹❇️✳️❎ 🇿🇲🇻🇺🇪🇭🇦🇪🇹🇬🇹🇯🇹🇿🇸🇩🇻🇨🇿🇦🇸🇸🇸🇧🇸🇱🇸🇹🇸🇦🇸🇳🇵🇹🇵🇰🇵🇸🇳🇬🇳🇪🇳🇦🇲🇲🇲🇷🇲🇽🇲🇱🇲🇻🇲🇴🇲🇬🇲🇼🇱🇹🇱🇾🇱🇸🇯🇴🇯🇲🇮🇪🇮🇹🇮🇷🇭🇺🇬🇼🇬🇾🇬🇳🇬🇩🇬🇭🇬🇫🇪🇹🇩🇯🇬🇶🇩🇲🇪🇷🇨🇮🇰🇲🇨🇬🇨🇨🇨🇽🇧🇮🇨🇲🇧🇫🇧🇷🇧🇴🇧🇾🇧🇯🇧🇩🇦🇿🏳️🌈
ReplyDeleteFor the luck of the Irish,, I give you All the green things I got on my computer👍👍
You are too funny! That should bring me lots of luck!!
DeleteThe orange was because the protestants favored rule by William of Orange. To this day Catholics and Protestants are at war with one another in Ireland. I suspect protestant Irish-Americans don't wear green.
ReplyDeleteI knew they wore orange, but not the whys of it. I know they have been at war since forever and decided not to go there. I hope I didn't offend anyone!!
DeleteInteresting St. Patrick's Day information about the wearing of the green. Thanks for sharing. I always wear something green to honor the day. When I was in high school it was really easy our uniforms were green...LOL
ReplyDeleteI think I had a green scarf that was worn to death. Don't know why but it was the only green in my closet!
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