Beyond green eggs: How to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day for families

This year, honor the patron saint of Ireland by bringing some of the beauty of Irish culture into your home! This guide will give you more than enough ideas to fill your day with meaningful festivities.

Start the day in prayer

The Breastplate of St. Patrick is a powerful prayer. It is said to have been composed by St. Patrick himself to celebrate Christ’s victory over paganism. The most popular lines of the prayer are well worth memorizing (Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ within me….), but the full text is less widely promulgated. The full prayer is available here: Breastplate of St. Patrick- Catholic Encyclopedia

Serve a full Irish breakfast

You may not be able to find black and white blood pudding or rashers (back bacon) in a typical American grocery store, but you can still have most of a proper “fry-up”! Serve baked beans, sauteed mushrooms, sauteed tomato slices, bangers (sausage), hashbrowns, and eggs! Pair them with strong black tea with milk, and you may have found a new favorite tradition!

Hear an Irish legend

Irish culture is full of myths and legends, many of which fundamentally shaped the way that Christianity was spread and adopted across Ireland. Listen to audio by storyteller extraordinaire Jim Weiss (Jim Weiss “Celtic Treasures” on Spotify), or read the picture book Fin M’coul: the Giant of Knockmany Hill by Tomie DePaola.

Watch some Irish step dancing

Irish step dancing is sure to get your foot tapping and fill your heart with joy. Riverdance brought traditional Irish dancing to the mainstage with enthralling modern theatrics. Watch the original Riverdance featuring Michael Flatley and Jean Butler on YouTube (Riverdance 1995).

Craft with Merino wool

Did you know there are more sheep than people in Ireland? Although most of the Merino wool used in the famous Aran sweaters is imported, wool is nonetheless a staple of Irish life. Do some handicrafts with real Merino wool or Irish wool if you can find it at your craft store! Whether it is making a simple braid or knitting a whole Irish sweater, help you kids appreciate the feel of real wool.

Make Celtic knots from paper

The Celtic knot (or Trinity knot) is a well-known symbol in Ireland that represents the eternal. Replicate the visual style with a fun paper cutting craft! Here is a tutorial for Celtic knot style paper cutting: Paper Celtic Knots.

Color the Book of Kells

The Book of Kells, located in Trinity College’s iconic library in Dublin, is a 9th century illuminated manuscript of the four Gospels in Latin. It is treasured for its beautiful illumination. Introduce your children to this treasured manuscript with a realistic Book of Kells Coloring Book, find printables online, or let them try their hand at replicating the illumination style.

End the night in song

You don’t have to be in an Irish pub to appreciate the rollicking tunes of Irish folk music. Try “Molly Malone” or “The Fields of Athenry” as a lullaby or family sing-along. Other kid-friendly songs include “Danny Boy,” “The Parting Glass,” and “Caledonia.”