Everyone’s Irish on March 17! This is a day when anyone who wants to can become Irish. O’Rosinski! O’Fernandes! O’Nguyen! We can all go around wearing green or Irish-themed clothing. Or, why not wear a big pin that says, “Kiss me. I’m Irish.” This is a day of green beer, green chocolate, green jello, and green cake. It’s a day for the Irish, the Foreign-Born-Irish, and the wannabe Irish. Charles Madigan reminds us that, “St. Patrick is one of the few saints whose feast day presents the opportunity to get determinedly whacked and make a fool of oneself all under the guise of acting Irish.”

I grew up in St. John’s, Newfoundland. St. Patrick’s Day remains a provincial holiday to this day. As my mother points out, the day falls on a Monday this year. That means that the revelries at the famous George Street pubs in St. John’s will start on Friday the 14th and stretch over several days.

We’ve come a long way from the days when St. Patrick supposedly banished saints from Ireland and explained the Trinity to Irish pagans by using the three-leaved shamrock. More and more, this day is one to celebrate all things Irish. It’s also become a day of parades around the world and raucous celebrations. In an effort to capitalize on the day, fast food outlets market Irish-themed goods, such as the McDonald’s Shamrock Shake.

The 21st century has brought a new place to celebrate St. Patrick. On this day last year, Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield took and posted online photographs of Ireland from his location on the International Space Station. He tweeted a picture of himself wearing green clothing as he floated around the station. Hadfield also posted online a recording of himself singing Danny Boy in space.

My personal theory about why there is so much silliness on St. Patrick’s Day is because by mid-March we need a break from winter (especially this winter!). Perhaps Adrienne Cook agrees with me. She describes St. Patrick’s Day as “an enchanted time, a day to begin transforming winter’s dreams into summer’s magic.” I’m not sure about “summer’s magic,” but a bit of spring magic would be welcome.

In the words of an Irish prayer, “May your glass be ever full. May the roof over your head be always strong. And may you be in heaven half an hour before the devil knows you’re dead.” And, let the green beer flow! Though, in my case, I’ll settle for the Jameson’s Irish Whiskey.