Did Today Really Get Your Irish Up?

Today was a most unusual St. Patrick's Day, because it didn't actually coincide with the religious holiday of the same name. That portion was moved to last week so that it wouldn't fall during Holy Week, the week leading up to Easter. (If you thought that Easter comes really early this year, you're quite right; it's the earliest possible day that it can be. And the St. Patrick's Day/Holy Week convergence--the first since 1940--won't happen again until 2160.)

I wasn't out and about all that much today, but I didn't see all that many people wearing green; not having to go to school this week evidently lessens the chances of being pinched or whatever. The most green-clad people I saw were at an Irish-named restaurant (no, not the one you're probably thinking) to have a tasty Reuben, thus fulfilling the corned beef-and-cabbage requirement of the day. And of course I wore the green (it's easy when your alma mater has the Mean Green as a mascot), even if I was rarely in a position to be pinched. I may be only a quarter Irish, but I've got the name to show for it, and, while I'm not a fan of group identity politics or anything, I definitely show pride in my heritage.

Read the whole linked article above; one of the most interesting things is how the overcommercialization and secularization of what was originally a sacred holiday is lamented by some; it sounds a lot like what people say about Christmas every year. (But, as the article points out, people usually don't have a wet T-shirt contest or a pub crawl on Christmas!)

So what did you do to celebrate today, if anything? Wear something green? Eat or drink something green? (Hopefully not because it's been in your fridge for six months or anything...) As I said in an earlier post, I welcome people of all backgrounds who get to join me in being Irish today.