Happy St. Patricks Day

Here's a holiday that most of us know only for wearing green so you won't get pinched. I decided to look up the true meaning of St.Paddy's day and why we, Americans, even celebrate an Irish holiday. I looked up History.com and found some facts about St. Paddy's day...
St. Patrick's Day is celebrated on March 17, 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 over a thousand 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.

You might even be surprised to know that an Oklahoma town was named after this holiday...
There are four places in the United States named after the shamrock, the floral emblem of Ireland: Mount Gay-Shamrock, WV; Shamrock, TX; Shamrock Lakes, IN; and Shamrock, OK.
Nine U.S. towns share the name of Ireland's capital, Dublin. With 39,328 residents in 2005, Dublin, CA, is the most populous, followed by Dublin, OH.

How was St. Patrick's day introduced into the US...
The first St. Patrick's Day parade took place in the United States on March 17, 1762, when Irish soldiers serving in the English military marched through New York City.

Why is the shamrock significant...
The shamrock, which was also called the "seamroy" by the Celts, was a sacred plant in ancient Ireland because it symbolized the rebirth of spring. By the seventeenth century, the shamrock had become a symbol of emerging Irish nationalism. As the English began to seize Irish land and make laws against the use of the Irish language and the practice of Catholicism, many Irish began to wear the shamrock as a symbol of their pride in their heritage and their displeasure with English rule.

I think I might 'go green' for dinner tonight! Let me know if you have any dish ideas. I'll post my meal tomorrow! In the mean time, I hope you don't get pinched today!!!