St. Patrick's Day cards

The luck of the Irish be with ye on St. Patrick’s day, unless of course you forget to wear something green, in which case you’ll have to endure endless mockery. Yes, St. Patrick’s Day (alternatively known as St. Patty’s Day, Saint Paddy's Day or St. Pat’s Day) is closely associated with the color green. But don’t let that fool you into thinking that it’s environmentally friendly; St. Patrick’s Day has famously been celebrated in Chicago by dumping green dye into their river, not to mention the rampant littering at celebrations across the country. And while St. Patrick’s Day remains best known for its parades and festivals, as well as being the most difficult day to get a reservation at an Irish pub, it’s also an occasion to share some of the merriment with friends and family, one St. Patrick’s day card or cheesy green plastic hat at a time.

St. Patrick’s Day wasn’t always green, initially its official color was blue. But in the 1700s, green became increasingly popular as the public became more aware of the history of St. Patrick, who was said to use the shamrock to demonstrate Christian beliefs to the people of 4th century Ireland. Eventually, many other practices of St. Patrick became incorporated into the March 17 festivities as well, though the tradition of pinching people who don’t wear green remains firmly rooted in American elementary schools. St. Patrick’s day has also become a recognition of Irish pride, with prominent celebrations held in cities with large Irish communities such as Boston, New York, and Chicago. So if you can’t join family or friends celebrating, be sure to send them St. Patrick’s day cards from Card Gnome. Parades, Irish craft festivals, greeting cards, and Celtic music concerts abound, make St. Patrick’s day in America the next best thing to kissing the Blarney Stone.