15th March 2019
St. Patrick's Day Celebration Guide
St. Patrick's Day is often celebrated with the presence of alcohol, whether you sip a slow whiskey or chug green beer, you can plan ahead to ensure a safe St. Patrick's Day.
Host a Party
Consider hosting a St. Patrick's Day party in your own home. While you'll need someone of good judgment to monitor keys so that drunken guests don't drive home, you'll generally be in control of your own party.
Drinking at home is generally cheaper, and polite guests will bring food and drink to the party. You'll be able to cook some traditional and Irish treats and serve them to guests. If you like playing bartender, you'll have the perfect opportunity in the comfort of your home.
Designated Driver or Taxi.
If you live in the suburbs, have you considered making a full night of your St. Patrick's Day adventure? Think about renting a room near your favorite pub. This way, you and your friends (or date) will not have to select a designated driver--you can walk back to the hotel or take a taxi.
If staying out is a bit pricey, be sure to enlist the aid of your friendly neighbourhood designated driver.
Go Trad.
If you're not into the trendy bar scene, St. Patrick's Day provides a great opportunity to head to a more traditional pub. While traditional pubs are not as crazy, they tend to get safely enthusiastic on St. Patrick's Day. Stop in at your local traditional pub for some ethnic grub, music and craic (all the fun).
Accessorize.
Everyone likes to wear green-colored clothing on St. Patrick's Day. Buttons, pins and jewellery are all great ways to dress up an outfit. On St. Patrick's Day, they become ways to express the fun side of fashion. Nothing is too gaudy or outlandish. Buttons with clever (or not so clever) sayings are also encouraged. Small shamrock pins are a great and subtle way to express your support of the holiday.
Learn some Irish words and phrases.
The Irish have their own distinct dialect of the English language, so if you want to sound like a native Irishman on St. Patrick's day, try sprinkling some of these Hiberno-English gems into your conversation:
How's the craic? — This phrase can be interpreted as either "How's it going?" or "What's going on?" or "What's up?"
Grand — Grand is another multi-purpose word in Hiberno-English. It doesn't mean large or impressive, but rather translates as "fine" or "great" depending on the context.
Eejit — Eejit is basically the Irish word for idiot. If someone does something silly or stupid, you can comment "Ah ya big eejit!" It's not meant to be offensive, rather it's used to make fun of someone in a playful way.
Eat First, Drink Later.
The more you eat the more liquor you'll be able to hold! This makes for a less vengeful hangover and the ability to consume more beverages and prolong the party. Stick to bready foods and drink plenty of water early in the day to avoid the dehydration that comes with drinking.
Try some of these dishes:
- Traditional Irish fry-up.
- Irish stew.
- Boxty (a traditional Irish potato pancake).
Beyond these party preparations, you can always prepare your St. Patrick's Day Emergency Hangover Kit. Left by the bed, this should never be without bottled water and a bucket.