We often think of St. Patrick’s Day as a time to go out and party in a pub, but not everyone has that option (nor does everyone drink). Young parents who normally enjoy this holiday by going out with friends may need to find other ways to celebrate. That’s just what we’re going to cover here: family-friendly homebound ideas for Saint Patrick’s Day.
Saint Patrick’s Day was the first holiday I experienced while quarantining from the coronavirus. I had no idea that two years later we’d still be risking our health at a full-fledged public party. Over the ensuing years we’ve been able to go out more after vaccinations and other protective protocols reduced high-risk infection, but sadly many local establishments never recovered. And we are facing a shift in the way people use their leisure time. So whether you personally prefer embracing a relaxed celebration at home or whether that’s your only choice due to circumstances, you can always find creative ways to enjoy what is an otherwise boisterous holiday. If you are looking for ideas for St. Patrick’s Day that you can do at home, try out some of the following activities for a low-key but still meaningful celebration!
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1. For Kids: Lead a Shamrock Path to a Pot of Gold
Give your child a treasure hunt to find a surprise pot of gold! Scatter shamrocks as a path of clues that lead to whatever hiding place (or ‘open’ place, depending on your child’s age) where they can discover the pot of gold sitting under or in front of a rainbow. I had this idea when my son was an infant so I had to choose safe pot-of-gold materials. I couldn’t find anything suitable to buy that wasn’t breakable and didn’t contain hazardous choking parts. You may think of something cleverer – and if so, please do share in the comments section! – but a black stocking-covered tin filled with corks is what worked for us.
Shamrocks and the Pot of Gold
For the pot, I took an old round hot cocoa tin and covered it with a scrap of cut-off black stocking that stretched nicely to cover the outside of the tin. As for pieces of ‘gold’ that my baby wouldn’t end up biting in half or chocking on, I perused a bucket of old wine corks I had kept for crafting. I picked out the sturdiest, un-crumbly corks, washed them, and dried them out before putting them in the pot. Sure, they weren’t quite coin-shaped, but neither are raw nuggets of gold!
Outside, I picked several clovers from the yard to provide the shamrock path. If you don’t have access to a clover patch, you could cut out four-leaf shamrock shapes from green construction paper – or just cut out the shapes from a plain piece of printing paper that you colour green on both sides with a crayon.
The End of the Rainbow
At the time, I didn’t have any reasonable way to create a rainbow to place behind the pot of gold except for a heart-shaped rainbow pillow that my sister won from an arcade claw game thirty years ago (claw-game players: you just never know the value of a prize). This was something cute and fuzzy my son could play with, so I positioned it behind the pot of gold. Later in the year, I found a great rainbow stacking toy which turned out to be a great gift that he loves to play with and which would serve perfectly as a pot of gold’s rainbow!
Setting the Scene and Sharing the Experience
Once my husband got home from work, he kept our son back in his room for a few minutes so I could set up the pot of gold in the living room with the freshly-picked shamrock trail leading to it from the hallway. I turned on some instrumental Irish music for babies (the exact video no longer exists, but there are plenty of alternatives like upbeat St. Patrick’s Day music or relaxing Celtic music). My husband then encouraged our son to crawl up the hallway where he discovered the shamrocks and pot of gold. I recorded his discovery, and it turned out to be an ultra-cute first St. Patrick’s Day memory.
You have even craftier options for older children. If sweets are an option, your pot of gold could actually contain gold-wrapped chocolate coins (this is perfect for leftover Hannukah gelt). Or, to avoid the sugar overload, you could use natural cheese puffs or some other gold-resembling finger food. I made my choices based on not wanting to spend any money, especially since there really wasn’t any need for extra flair at nine months old. But you could have fun with it and get as creative and extravagant as you choose!
2. Learn About the Land of Saint Patrick’s Influence: Ireland
Everything I’ve heard about Ireland from family and friends who’ve visited revolves around its peacefulness, beauty, and the locals’ incredible hospitality and friendliness. The amount of history and good food are also beloved traits of the area. As my dad put it, ‘the pace of life seems slower, and people seem less anxious.’ For a nation of overworked and overstressed Americans, that sounds really, really appealing. You may not be able to travel anytime soon, but if you discover that Ireland is exactly where you want to be, then use this time to save money and plan an awesome trip to embark on as soon as the opportunity arises! Here are just a few reasons you may find Ireland particularly appealing:
- People are extraordinarily friendly and considerate
- Because of the above-listed fact, it’s easy to hitchhike (and hospitable new friends often offer their home to you)
- The countryside is beautiful and serene
- There is an incredible amount of history
- The food provides delicious sustenance and comfort
- My world-traveled musician friend loves Ireland the most ‘because the music is a regular part of people’s lives, and not a thing apart from it‘
- The landscape is luscious and green. And, as my brother attests, you can climb a mountain and see farmlands, a small town, beaches, and woodlands all in one panoramic view
Intrigued? Learn more and check out some of these inspiring documentaries about Ireland:
- Older Than Ireland follows thirty Irish centenarians’ journeys over a century of changes from the time of Irish independence to modern-day Ireland
- Passport to the World: Ireland explores Irish castles, Celtic culture, and ancient traditions
- Ireland: The Story of a Nation delves into the nation’s historical oppression and struggle alongside its courage and hope
- Patrick inspects historical St. Patrick via interviews with noted scholars and reenactments of his life
- Quintessentially Irish is all about Irish people, culture, and historical influence
Whether you truly want to plan an escape to Ireland the next chance you get or whether you enjoy learning about it from the comfort of your own home where perhaps the sun shows itself a little more often, there are always fun surprises when you read a book, explore the internet, or sit down to watch a documentary to learn about another land! Let Ireland inspire your ideas for St. Patrick’s Day.
3. Listen to Irish Music and Eat Irish Food
I think food and music are the two paramount pillars of any culture. Since I don’t eat meat and have trouble finding time to experiment with food, I haven’t ventured into attempting Irish meals. Those with more refined culinary skills or adequate time may enjoy having a go at a shepherd’s pie or Irish soda bread. I usually take the lazier route and find something frozen from Trader Joe’s that probably pales in comparison taste-wise but still provides a bit of edible Irish culture (it’s better than nothing!).
As for music, I am always on the hunt for folk music from whatever land’s holiday we celebrate. My favourite Irish music discovery is the Serbian band Orthodox Celts. They aren’t in fact from Ireland, but they brilliantly infuse traditional Irish songs as well as original pieces with modern rock to create a unique Irish-flavoured rock band. And it isn’t the sort of often-angry, high-energy rock music that’s dominated American radio for the past couple of decades – it’s sometimes slower-paced, sometimes frolicking, but always with an optimistic energy regardless of the lyrical topic of any given song.
4. Decorate and Wear Green
Maybe you won’t get pinched by a Leprechaun if you don’t wear any green for St. Patrick’s Day, but why risk your luck? Ireland is known for its verdant hills and St. Patrick’s shamrocks. Green also signifies spring, which officially begins on the Equinox this Sunday, March 20th. Embrace the green of the Irish shamrock and a new spring with your wardrobe choice.
If you have young kids, you could also point out anything green around the house or send them on a ‘green mission’ to identify any green thing they can find. Have older kids go a step further to identify any shade of green and its specific colour, such as lime green, sage green, olive green, etc. They may even end up inventing new green names!
Create a festive Saint Patrick’s Day atmosphere by adorning your space with happy decorations. Kids especially will love this Lucky Charms marshmallow banner with its bright pastel colours and soft felt texture. And a green Happy St. Patrick’s Day banner is a classic way to welcome the holiday by stringing it under a doorway or mantel.
5. Build a Fairy House
This is a fun activity for kids, but there’s no reason people without kids can’t build a fairy house, too! Whether you believe in fairies or not, you can both pay homage to Irish culture and create a cute addition for your garden or for your child’s room. Ireland is steeped in fairy legends and plenty of people there, especially those from older generations, sincerely believe in them.
Let some of that Irish magic live on in your home by constructing a tiny home out of anything you or your kids can find outside: twigs, leaves, stones, or moss, to name just a few materials. Or, if you aren’t able to obtain natural items from outside, get creative and find pretty items around your house that can serve as an indoors rendition. Turn a shoebox sideways and fill it with small items that could serve as fairy furniture, with a nice tea towel draped over the opening for privacy. You could be as basic or as elaborate as you want to be with this activity.
If anyone in your home loves painting or other crafts, have a go with a DIY fairy home kit (fun for both kids and adults!) such as one of these:
- This fairy lantern craft kit (set of two) was a big hit with my son and makes a beautiful nightlight
- This fairy door craft kit was a birthday gift for our dear friends’ daughter in England (she loved it)
- Painting and landscaping a wooden fairy house is a fun activity for any creative fairy lover
6. Toast with an Irish Drink After Bedtime
You didn’t think we’d discuss an Irish holiday without including drinking, did you? If we can’t get out to an Irish pub for a round with friends due to lack of a suitable/affordable babysitter or due to it being a weekday or any other circumstances, we can at least enjoy a delicious night cap to salute the evening. I’m not one to have a full array of cocktail ingredients on hand so these drink ideas for St. Patrick’s Day are simple, easy, and require only a few ingredients:
- Pour a shot of Baileys Irish Cream over a scoop of vanilla ice cream; then top it with a dash of fresh or dried rosemary and sea salt crystals (courtesy of yours truly). If you don’t favour the pokey texture of dried rosemary, this powdered rosemary is an easy alternative that keeps just as well (I use it not only for culinary purposes but for multiple other uses as well). Just be sure to start out using it sparingly, according to taste
- Mix a shot of Jameson whiskey with hot water and honey to taste for a simple hot toddy
- Brew a cup of coffee (or decaf) and add a shot of whiskey for a basic Irish coffee. Add Bailey’s for cream if you don’t drink your coffee black
- If you want a really wild night in, throw back an Irish Shot (formerly Irish Car Bomb, its less-PC name). Add ½ ounce of Baileys and ½ ounce of Irish whiskey to a shot glass; drop the shot glass into a glass of Guinness beer; and chug (yes, you have to chug this one so the cream doesn’t curdle in the beer)
- Of course, you can always just crack open a Guinness and savor Ireland’s most popular bevvy at a more civil pace from a beer stein!
Abstainers can celebrate just as much by crafting any of these delicious virgin bevvies. I think anyone would forego alcoholic drinks for the Luck of the Irish Mint Chocolate Shake (#4 on the page)!
Wherever you find yourself and whatever your day might bring, I hope you find a way to celebrate with joy. Cheers, and Happy St. Patrick’s Day!