quicko: st. patrick's day

I hope you had a fantastic St. Patrick's Day!  There was tremendously little happening in my life this year to indicate the holiday, but I heard there was an abundance of festivity in the city -- and that Scruffy Murphy's in particular was full of nothing but Irish accents.  It seems of the four million Irish -- well, tons and tons are in Sydney, mostly as a result of an unfortunate economic situation there at the moment.  Lots of 20-somethings are seeking their (literal and metaphorical) fortunes abroad -- many in Australia.

quicko: st. patrick's day green

One more thing!  I forgot to mention that, really, kelly green is the green of St. Patrick's Day.  So many Australians upon hearing of St. Patrick's Day's green requirement think they can get away with anything roughly in the neighborhood of green -- teal, aqua, turquoise, navy blue -- but this is not so.  While you could argue a hunter or forest green through to a lime, if you really want to get it right you need to wear GREEN green.  Clover green, you know?  And lots of it -- an entirely green shirt would be most appropriate, as would a green dress, as would lots of green trimmings, er, accessories.  Green pants would be fantastic.  It's your own call where underwear is concerned, but, well, better safe than sorry is  a good rule of thumb to go by.  What doesn't count is green writing on your shirt, a smidge of off-green in a belt or tilting a blue piece of jewelry in the sun.  Neither (nice try) do green eyes.  Be green and proud, for Patrick's sake!!

quicko: happy st. patrick's day!

Americans celebrate St. Patrick's way (WAY) more than Australians.  To show the Australian readership what I mean, I've taken a few pictures to illustrate.  The first is the St. Patrick's Day card section at K-mart, the second is the free St. Patrick's Day cookies at the airport (okay, they're all gone but one, but that's because people took them!) and the rest are the St. Patrick's Day bagpipe parade (okay, even I'm going "what the ...!" about that!) also at the airport.  Enjoy, and hope your St. Patrick's Day was more festive than mine!

 

quicko: happy st. patrick's day!!!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!!!

Australians, it turns out, aren't all that big on St. Patrick's Day.  (Or Martin Luther King Day or Thanksgiving or President's Day.)  They don't really mind if you wear green, but they see no need to be pinched for neglecting their duties themselves.  They take the same blase attitude they show Halloween:  "Oh, huh, it's (fill in your choice of major holiday here)?  What's the date?  You guys celebrate that much in the States, huh?"

There are so Irish in Sydney, but not tons.  And historically there are some waves of Irish immigration, but also not tons.  Even though it's easy to think of Australians as the same mutts as Americans, they tend to be more Scottish and English than Irish.  Either that or the Irishness has just been completely removed from their social calendar.  Except, of course, the drinking part.

In case you are a concerned Australian wishing you knew more of this illustrious holiday, here are a few helpful hints to get you thinking in the right direction for next year:

• First and foremost, WEAR GREEN!!!  Otherwise, you will get pinched!
• Everyone can celebrate St. Patrick's Day -- you do not have to be Irish!
• Appropriate decorations are all green and generally include shamrocks.
• If you'd like to set a leprechaun trap, they get put out the evening of the 16th.
• (St. Patrick's Day -- I really shouldn't have to say this -- is every year on March 17th.)
• If you are a drinker, Guiness is appropriate; if you're not, green food coloring in any beverage (milk works particularly well) is good, too.  It can be added to food as well, of course.  (Mashed potatoes, etc.)
• The traditional meal is corned beef and cabbage.
• The traditional form of poetry is the limerick.  Write limericks for your friends if you can.
•  A sample limerick:
  
  
  Happy St. Patrick's Day!
  Good luck catching a leprechaun at play.
  Wear green, of course,
  Or a pinch will be yours,
  And kiss me, I'm Irish, hooray!