St. Patrick’s Day is on the horizon, and around the world Irish people, their descendants and everyone who loves Irish gifts and culture will be donning green to celebrate. From t-shirts sporting Irish sayings to tweed caps with flecks of green to gorgeous emerald jewelry, green is the theme. Leinster, Connaught, Munster and Ulster, the four provinces of Ireland since ancient times, are sometimes described in song and prose as the four green fields. Ireland is, of course, the Emerald Isle, but these are not the only reasons green has come to symbolize this wee island.
St. Patrick is associated with the three green leaves of the shamrock plant, which he used to explain the three-as-one concept of the Holy Trinity when he converted Ireland to Christianity. The song The Wearing of the Green is an anonymous Irish street ballad about wearing shamrocks on St. Patrick’s Day and laws forbidding the custom that dates back at least to the 1798 Rebellion. So we know from the lyrics that wearing shamrocks has been a St. Patrick’s Day tradition for centuries – and it shows no sign of being abandoned.
These days our shamrocks are more likely to be designs on shirts, hair ribbons and all sorts of Irish gifts than to be actual plants. One benefit is that you won’t finish the night with a wilted, droopy plant on you! You can find all sorts of shamrock clothing and accessories for children and adults to suit not only the type of celebration you are attending but also your own personal sense of style.
Even the very littlest leprechauns can join in the fun with little rompers with shamrocks, although if they are going to be outside enjoying a parade, a cute green winter hat with wee mittens with shamrocks might be in order. Children simply can’t go to school without wearing something green or they’ll be pinched without mercy. Good thing they have so many fun options from jackets and hoodies to fun socks and earrings.
Adults are at less risk of being pinched, but that’s no reason to miss out on the fun. Choices range from t-shirts and sweatshirts with Irish symbols, which are great for parades and pubs, to stunning wool capes and dazzling jewelry for elegant evenings. Heraldic Irish gifts from hoodies to pint glasses and whiskey tumbles featuring a family’s name and coat of arms are another way to show pride in your Irish heritage.
Whether your celebrations include face painting with leprechauns, parades, traditional music in a cozy pub or an evening at a more formal charity ball or auction of Irish gifts, don’t skip the shamrock. While our celebrations have evolved over the years to go from a quiet religious holiday to honor one small island’s patron saint to a worldwide celebration of all things Irish, the shamrock has stayed the same. If you aren’t ready for the wearing of the green, it’s time to start planning what to wear and where to go.
Shop our St. Patrick’s Day selection and find the perfect attire for your St. Patrick’s Day celebration!
Happy St. Patrick”s Day!
