St. Patrick's Day is Big Business!

 "May the road rise to meet you, May the wind be always at your back. May the sun shine warm upon your face, The rains fall soft upon your fields. And until we meet again, May God hold you in the palm of his hand”

- Traditional Gaelic Blessing

-------

Truly Big Business! $7.2 billion will be spent this week for St. Patrick's Day which is Sunday according to the National Retail Federation. NRF St. Patrick's Day

Sunday is St. Patrick’s Day and many consider it their favorite holiday.  There is of course, a business side to the 17th of March, as people shell out for plenty of corned beef and fake leprechaun beards. More than 125 million Americans plan to mark the occasion in some way, which is approximately 30x the population of Ireland. Therefore, we thought it might be enjoyable to take a fun quick look at this holiday.

Shamrock

In ancient Ireland, the shamrock symbolized rebirth, particularly the rebirth of warmer weather. But the shamrock also has more specific ties to St. Patrick, and remains one of the most recognizable symbols associated with his feast day. Historians believe that, on his return to Ireland (a native of Great Britain, St. Patrick was first taken to Ireland after being kidnapped by pirates, later returning as a Christian missionary after his release), St. Patrick used the shamrock to teach the natives about the Holy Trinity. In fact, an image of St. Patrick holding a shamrock first appeared on coins in 1675. The shamrock's status as a symbol would continue to evolve when it became a figure of Irish patriotism during the Irish Rebellion of 1798. In 2003, the shamrock was registered as an international trademark by the Irish government.

Irish Session

St. Patrick's Day celebrants who are not of Irish descent and/or those who have never visited Ireland may not know it, but the live music they may hear when entering a pub on St. Patrick's Day is an integral part of the fabric of Irish culture. An Irish Session typically finds a group of musicians gathered in a pub to play traditional Irish music, oftentimes while seated at a table among their audience. While many pubs reserve stage areas for their musicians on St. Patrick's Day, the spirit of session is still present, as musicians often interact with the audience.

The Tricolor

Many establishments display the familiar Irish tricolor flag on St. Patrick's Day, and parade goers may even wave miniature versions of this significant symbol in support of those marching. This instantly recognizable flag has a rich history. Equal parts green, white and orange, the flag was designed to foster peace in the country that had experienced considerable turmoil due to the divide between the country's Protestant and Catholic residents. The green in the flag represents the Irish Catholics, while the orange represents the Irish Protestants. The white is a symbol of hope for peace between the two factions. Though Ireland established the tricolor as its national flag in 1921, it first appeared much earlier when Irish national Thomas Francis Meagher unfurled it in 1848.

Green

The color green is everywhere come St. Patrick's Day, but celebrants may be surprised to learn that blue is the color that was once most affiliated with St. Patrick himself. Numerous paintings depict St. Patrick wearing blue vestments. But green is the color now most instantly associated with Ireland, which is widely referred to as the "Emerald Isle." Ireland's lush countryside and rolling green hills attract millions of visitors each year.

Cuisine

Corned beef and cabbage might not be a part of many people's diet regimens throughout the year. But come March 17, it's not uncommon to find people from all walks of life indulging in this beloved meal. The precise origins of the link between corned beef and St. Patrick's Day remain a topic of debate, but some historians say the corned beef enjoyed today can be traced to New York City's Irish immigrant population in the 19th and 20th centuries, who popularized a salted meat made from brisket that was then sold by Jewish butchers. Regardless of the authenticity of its link to Ireland, corned beef is delicious and many modern Paddy's Day celebrants wouldn't think of going without it on March 17th. 

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

To subscribe to our full weekly free newsletter click here:

Global Common Cents

For more about my wonderings through Business, Lifestyle & Travel please see my blog:

JeffCorbett.com