St. Patrick’s Day. It’s commonly associated with the idea that if you don’t wear the color green, you get pinched by all your friends. This seems to be a widely accepted tradition for the March holiday. Junior Logan Wells celebrates St. Patrick’s Day a different way than the “wear green or get pinched” tradition that Americans have adopted. The Wells family hails from Ireland; “Fresh off the boat,” as Logan likes to say.
Saint Patrick’s Day is originally an Irish celebration. And, of course, what is an Irish celebration without lots of potatoes and beer?
“We eat potato pancakes along with other potato based foods, and the adults drink a special family brew – potato whiskey – on the night of Saint Patty’s,” Wells explained. “We also start off the day with the Saint’s Prayer.”
The Saint’s Prayer is, traditionally, the prayer that the patron Saint Patrick said as he traveled through England. The prayer is said to have brought luck to the Irish during the potato famine. Saint Patrick is an important figure to the Irish because, even though he was held captured at a young age in Ireland, he returned one day as a bishop.
“Because of him, the shamrock is now an important symbol to the Irish,” Wells explained. “He used it to represent the Holy Trinity.”
The celebrations aren’t just limited to families.
“Honestly, we’ll invite anyone to party. Friends, relatives, neighbors, strangers, anyone who wants a few potatoes and some good whiskey.”
They do not, however, partake in the whole pinching tradition that Americans have associated with St. Patrick’s Day.
“I’m not even sure where that whole thing came from,” Wells admitted.
The religious aspect of Saint Patrick’s is long lost on a majority of teens, but for students like Wells, the tradition still runs strong.
“It’s really interesting how differently it’s looked upon here,” Wells said. “But I have to say, I kinda enjoy the idea of pinching anyone who forgets to wear green.”