The parades, the bagpipes, the corned beef and cabbage, and all that green. Saint Patrick's Day is a day for everyone to be Irish. But do you know all there is to know about the Irish holiday? Read on for fun facts to keep you in the know this Saint Patrick's Day!
1. Blue was the original color of Saint Patrick's Day—not green. Green is now the associated color because it's the color of Ireland, the shamrock, and of the upcoming spring season.
2. "Happy Saint Patty's Day!" isn't the correct shortened terminology. The Irish nickname for Patrick is Paddy, so it should be written, "Happy Saint Paddy's Day!"
3. Saint Patrick was born to Roman parents in Scotland or Wales, making him British. Also, his birth name wasn't Patrick. He was named Maewyn Succat, but he changed his name to Patricius after becoming a priest! We couldn't imagine a Happy Maewyn's Day, either.
4. Since 1962, the city of Chicago has been dumping 40 tons of green dye into The Chicago River to celebrate Saint Patrick's Day.
5. New York City's famous Saint Patrick's Day Parade is one of the largest parades in the world. It's been happening every year since 1762! It draws over 1 million spectators per year.
6. St Patrick's Day became a public holiday in Ireland due to the Bank Holiday (Ireland) Act 1903.
7. There are more people in the United States (33.7 million to be exact) with Irish decent than there are people in Ireland. Ireland has a population of about 4.5 million.
HAPPY SAINT PATRICK'S DAY!
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