St. Patrick's Day is set aside to honor St. Patrick, who was born around 385 C.E. As a young man St. Patrick was kidnapped and forced into slavery. During this time he came to depend on God, as he had nothing else to believe or hope in.
After escaping from captivity, St. Patrick became a Priest and was commissioned by the Pope to spread Christianity through out Ireland. St. Patrick spent the rest of his life traveling the country doing the work of God.
St. Patrick died on March 17th-after his death he was proclaimed the Patron Saint of Ireland and the day was set aside to honor him forever more.
In Ireland St. Patrick's Day is still celebrated as a religious holiday. Here in the US, some view St. Patrick's Day as a time for a good party, others eat a traditional dinner of corned beef and cabbage to celebrate the day.
When I think of St. Patrick's Day the first thing that comes to mind-is if you don't wear green you get pinched! I remember in Elementary School it was a big deal-you had to make sure you remembered to wear green-or suffer the consequences. As I recall the bus ride home was the worst place for getting pinched-as the ever watching eyes of the teachers were not present.
I did learn something new from researching St. Patrick. If someone pinches you and you do have green on-you get to pinch them back 10 times! Wonder if I should share that tid bit with the girls in preparation for St. Patrick's Day?
I ask Granny and Pap if the "pinching" went on when they were kids. They both said they didn't even know there was a St. Patrick's Day until they were grown. How about you-ever been pinched for not wearing green?
Tipper
p.s. For more info on St. Patrick's Day click here.
Always so creative! Thank you! :)
Posted by: Mark Salinas | March 23, 2009 at 12:40 PM
I've never been pinched for not wearing green as a child, but I've always worn green on St. Patrick's Day as an adult. It's part of my heritage. I don't think anyone in my school knew about the pinching. I think if they had I'd have been black and blue. :)
This was a great post and you really did some nice research on St. Patrick. Loved it! xxoo
Posted by: Carolyn A. | March 19, 2009 at 09:21 PM
Yep, pinching was alive and well when I was a child.
I showed my students a movie on the life of St. Patrick yesterday, because literally no one in the class knew why we celebrated St. Patrick's Day -- and this is a Christian school, so I was floored. The movie was excellent! It's called St. Patrick: The Irish Legend and you can find it on Amazon.
Posted by: Jennifer in OR | March 18, 2009 at 08:28 PM
I hope you had a great day!
Posted by: noble pig | March 18, 2009 at 12:31 PM
Pinching is my girls favorite part of St. Patricks day. They were really upset when the new principal forbid pinching this year. Not even soft pinches! I never knew about the getting to pinch back part.
Posted by: kristi | March 18, 2009 at 09:30 AM
I realized I would be chided by the waitresses at Bob Evans this morning for being greenless so I took the parsley garnishing my eggs and stuck the sprig in one of the small vent holes the my cap I was wearing.
Good of you to show the spiritual importance of the day.
Thank you for the enjoyable articles recently. We aren't fully thawed here so I can't make a garden but you reminded me to get it planned. "Two Different Worlds" showed a nearly painful difference between the cold,stark geometry of the city and the bucolic, soothing hills of Appalachia.
Good work, Tipper.
Posted by: David Templeton | March 17, 2009 at 08:54 PM
Oh, yes, I've been pinched before. I have even been know to grab a piece of green fabric or construction paper and pin it on because of forgetting it was St. Patrick's Day. Now I don't worry about it because I just stay home and nobody here wants to even think about pinching or getting pinched. I didn't know about the 10 back. Dang! I could of been busy with pinch backs.
Posted by: Helen G. | March 17, 2009 at 07:50 PM
I've never heard of the pinching on St Patrick's day and I'm very happy it doesn't seem to be the custom here as I had several kids not wearing green today.
As for wearing orange on St Patrick's day - that goes back to all the religious troubles in Ireland and in my neck of the woods is seen as an insult. I'm Protestant and I wear green.
Posted by: Apple | March 17, 2009 at 05:59 PM
Tipper, I thnk of my Brother on St. Patrick's Day. It's his Birthday.
It's odd though. We pinch people over a Saint. It's kind of mean when you think about it.
Posted by: The Appalachianist | March 17, 2009 at 02:58 PM
Hi! I'm visiting from the parade! I have been pinched before but I have always been wearing green. I didn't know about the 10 pinches back rule, but I can't wait to try it!
Posted by: Kathryn | March 17, 2009 at 02:10 PM
I've always made sure I am wearing green!
I love reading the story of St. Patrick's life~he really is an inspiration.
Posted by: Mary | March 17, 2009 at 10:53 AM
Tipper: I never heard the pinching thing before this year. I had a very good friend that was born in Ireland. I wore green on St. Patrick's Day and he told me I should be wearing orange instead being a Protestant. I didn't know that fact but in Ireland it is a big deal.
Posted by: Fishing Guy | March 17, 2009 at 09:56 AM
Top 'o the Mornin' to you, Tipper. Yes, we pinched people when we were in school for not wearing green. As I said in my post today, I also would use the excuse of having green eyes if I forgot to wear green. I don't remember getting to pinch back 10 times, tho.
Posted by: Janet | March 17, 2009 at 09:13 AM
Catholic girls at the schools run by the Irish priest never had to worry about that because our uniforms were green plaid jumpers, with green sweaters. I never had the experience of being pinched.
Posted by: Lanny | March 17, 2009 at 02:56 AM
Sure I remember getting pinched. I would say I'm not Irish, but to a kid that made no difference. I probably piched back too.
I just read about Jackie's husband. I will keep them in my prayers.
Patti
PS Love the new CD. Tell Pappy they do great work!
Posted by: Osagebluffquilter | March 16, 2009 at 10:54 PM
Never been pinched!
It's tradition at my daughter's school to turn the classroom upside down and leave some gold chocolate coins for the kids.
I remember how beautiful and quite St. Patrick's Day was when I lived in Belfast. A time for family. Wonderful.
Posted by: SandyCarlson | March 16, 2009 at 10:25 PM
Yes, I have been pinched before. Today I learned that if you are an Irish Catholic you wear green. If you are a Protestant Catholic you wear orange. If I was a Protestant Catholic I'd still wear green, because not too many people know about wearing orange and you'd get pinched anyway.
Posted by: Applie | March 16, 2009 at 10:02 PM
Tipper, Oh yes....I remember the pinching in school! Frantically looking for something, anything green to wear the night before. You know...I hafta find somethin' green for tomorrow!!! Gotta run! ; )
Posted by: Holly Spencer | March 16, 2009 at 09:17 PM
Absolutely! I never seemed to remember to wear green.
Stop by my blog to sign up for a giveaway.
:+)
Posted by: cathy | March 16, 2009 at 07:21 PM
I love your little, mini, history lessons.
My daughter, who wears pink almost exclusively, discovered she had nothing green to wear last year and was reduced to tears over it. I bought her a shirt for this year at last year's sales. when I pulled it out to surprise her, she said that she has several green shirts now, but thank you anyway. :P
Posted by: Julie at Elisharose | March 16, 2009 at 06:02 PM
I don't think I had much green, my mother always got me blue, "to match my eyes". I didn't have anything pink or red either, "clashes with your hair." I have what I like, now.
Posted by: GrannyPam | March 16, 2009 at 05:28 PM
This is the first time that I ever heard of being pinched on St. Patrick's Day if you didn't wear green.
Happy St. Patrick's Day on the 17th.
I will be wearing something green.
Posted by: Janet Iles | March 16, 2009 at 05:00 PM
i was pinched a couple times, but mostly by my brother before getting dressed for school! Tomorrow is his birthday - he never forgets :)
Posted by: Amy @ parkcitygirl | March 16, 2009 at 04:40 PM
Yes I was pinched almost every year because I never wore green. But there was reason. My eyes are green and people always forgot so I got to pinch back. But I never did it ten times...only nine.
Posted by: Egghead | March 16, 2009 at 03:39 PM
Oh yes, we got pinched for not wearing green on St Patrick's day but I don't recall the rule of 10.
Thanks for the history. I have to admit I've never heard it before.
Posted by: Miss Cindy | March 16, 2009 at 02:48 PM
Although I always wear green on St. Patrick's Day, I was never aware of the pinching! I'll have to ask my niece. Teenagers are always up-to-date with pranks!
Happy St. Patrick's Day, Tipper!
:))
Posted by: petra michelle | March 16, 2009 at 02:42 PM
We always had the rule that if you got pinched but had green on you can pinch them back ten times. So we would wear green in a sneaky place, so they wouldn't see it!
Posted by: JoLyn | March 16, 2009 at 02:09 PM
Oh yeah! Been pinched a bunch. I always forget to wear green until it's too late to turn around and go back.
Thanks for sharing this, I never knew the story behind St. Patrick.
Posted by: Fencepost | March 16, 2009 at 01:31 PM