Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Happy St. Patrick's Day everyone! I hope you are all wearing green and enjoying this special holiday named just for me. Of course we know that is not true, but I love to tell people, When I was born, my parents thought about naming me Saint, but smarter heads prevailed and they settled on Michael.

By the way, did you know Michael is the second most common male name in the world? Do you know what the first one is? Well, rather than going to Google and checking, I will tell you; it is Mohammed. At least that was what the source I got it from listening to a radio show one day.

I digress. Imagine that, me getting off the subject of my post. That is absolutely unheard of. Mea culpa.

Back to the subject at hand. St. Patrick's Day or as it is also known the Feast of St. Patrick, celebrates Ireland's most well-known patron saint, Saint Patrick. Saint Patrick lived from 385-461 A.D. Although according to some sources, his year of death is in question. The reason March 17th was picked as St. Patrick's Day is because that was the day he died.

The day originally was to commemorate Christianity coming to Ireland, as well as a celebration of Irish heritage and culture. Celebrations included parades and festivals and wearing of the green. The day is celebrated by Irish all over the world; especially in Britain, Canada, the United States, Argentina, Australia and New Zealand. 

But, I guess you already knew we celebrate the day here.

The holiday is observed by the Catholic Church, the Anglican Communion (especially the Church of Ireland), the Eastern Orthodox Church and Lutheran Church.

According to Wikipedia, St. Patrick's Day was made an official Christian feast day in the early seventeenth century. It was the feast that allowed people to stop fasting for Lent for one day that obviously encouraged the holiday’s tradition of drinking. I do not know what other countries around the world do to help celebrate a national day to go overboard and celebrate St. Patrick's Day, but in Chicago they dye the river green.

I like to tell people there are two types of people. There are the Irish, and then there are those who wish they were Irish! On St. Patrick's Day, everyone becomes Irish.

I like the buttons that read, Kiss me, I'm Irish.

Hopefully this will get posted today, so none of my Irish and St. Patrick's history will be lost on your parties as you go out tonight and enjoy a wearing of the green, drink some green beer, if that is your choosing, share your newly-learned trivia and enjoy your St. Patrick's Day.

As always, I look forward to your comments.

Later,

Mike