St. Patrick’s Day Celebrations
Wear Green, Go Green, Make Some Green
By Joan Burns, Event Planner Extraordinaire

It is pretty typical for everyone, no matter what their nationality, to wear a little green on March 17^th, the Feast Day of St. Patrick.  For some it means, green beer and shamrocks. For others it presents an opportunity to spread some cheer.  And the world can use a little cheer right now!

According to the History Channel, “St. Patrick's Day is celebrated on March 17,(it is) his religious feast day and the anniversary of his death in the fifth century. The Irish have observed this day as a religious holiday for thousands of years. On St. Patrick's Day, which falls during the Christian season of Lent, Irish families would traditionally attend church in the morning and celebrate in the afternoon. Lenten prohibitions against the consumption of meat were waived and people would dance, drink, and feast—on the traditional meal of Irish bacon and cabbage.

The first St. Patrick's Day parade took place not in Ireland, but in the United States. Irish soldiers serving in the English military marched through New York City on March 17, 1762. Along with their music, the parade helped the soldiers to reconnect with their Irish roots, as well as fellow Irishmen serving in the English army.”

Here are some suggestions to carry the Irish Spirit into the Boardroom, the showroom and the family room.

   This one is pretty obvious…serve Corn beef and cabbage.  Include it on the employee menu or set-up a small buffet for your customers. Decorate your serving table with green and white linen while using potted shamrocks for table centerpieces.  You can be a little earth friendly green at the same time.

   Have your own parade.  Invite your business neighbors or your neighborhood to participate in a St. Patrick’s Day Parade.  Invite some current day military folks and honor their service. Or use the parade to collect funds for a local charity.  You can get inexpensive green leis to hand out to people along the parade route or buy some real shamrocks to give away to people who donate to your cause.

   Hold an Irish Jig contest or a bagpipe concert in your parking lot to entertain your customers.

   Put the Riverdance DVD on  at you home party and start up the “Riverdance Line Dance”

   Just as you might have a Santa at the Holidays, have a leprechaun at your plaice of business to give away “pots of gold” in the form of discount coupons.

   Plan a St. Patrick’s Day Party for your Client Appreciation event. Search for a bagpipe group to welcome your guests or to lead them down the Trade Show Floor. Serve Guinness Beer, Irish Crème and green crème de menthe drinks. You can create an Irish Pub at the venue where you are holding your event.  Just remember to have someone sing “Danny Boy”.

   Show Irish movies in the Employee Break room or on your living room screen like Ryan’s Daughter or The Quiet Man with John Wayne.

   Really go Green by giving away reusable green grocery bags to your guests or customers.

Creating a little Irish fun, raising a little leprechaun spirit or just going green to honor St. Patrick’s Day can be easy and affordable.  If the economy prevented you, your company or family from having the usual Holiday party, now might be the time to celebrate!  Invite your friends, invite your family, invite your colleagues or invite your clients…everyone may just find the “pot o’ gold”!

Joan was a featured guest and special co-host on Creative Celebrations on February 22, 2009. To listen to her interview, please double click on the Play Button below.