Being sober on St. Patrick's Day is an anomaly that most people don't consider to be true. So everyone ends up getting stinking drunk and not remembering what happened the night before. As important as it is to let our hair down, it is equally important to recognize the rich and colorful traditions of a uniquely gifted place like Ireland. We must thank the Irish for giving us more than just a poor drinking habit. We must celebrate their rich traditions before we drink green beer or pinch each other for not wearing green.
People often tend to wrongly associate drinking with St. Patty's Day celebrations, which leads to several people being left out of the celebration. Each year several non-drinkers are left out of the celebration of these glorious festivities. Let's not associate the Irish men as drunkards and curse them for a poor livers. Read on to know more about what activities you can enjoy to celebrate the essence of the holiday, instead of just enjoying a drink too many.
What Else Can You Do this St. Patty's Day?
1. Go the Literary Way
Read from the collections by famous Irish-American authors like Lady Gregory, Lewis Carroll, Oscar Wilde, James Joyce, George Bernard Shaw, Judy Collins or Will Butler Yeats who complied many Irish traditional stories into play and verse.
2. Eat Right
The Irish eat as well as they drink. Enjoy some real Irish food this St. Patty's Day. The Irish enjoyed a good home-cooked meal, anything that "ma" made. Treat yourself to an Irish stew, Colcannon, Boxty, Corned Beef and cabbage or a Coddle - a traditional Dublin dish with sausages, rashers (thin pieces of bacon), potatoes and onions. Boiling is not the only way the Irish cook, just to break another myth.
3. Sing with the Irish
They can sing, they can dance. They can do it all. Go listen to the Pogues, the Dubliners, the (late) Ronnie Drew or the Chieftans. Or if you are a more modern and contemporary Ireland fan, put on some U2 and enjoy the deep and soothing voice of Bono - the Oscar awards show-stealer.
4. Read a Preacher
Yes, it is a book. The seminal apocalyptic tale of fallen angels, vampires, shadowy organisations and a down and out Preacher, it is the work of Garth Ennis.
5. Visit Ireland
For those who don't mind going out of their way to 'live life', come to Dublin, at least. See for yourself, the fine culture, poetic outlook to life and cultured life of the Irish, quite contrary to what we all believe.
6. Have Your Own Party
Your party, your rules. So having your own party makes most sense if you want to celebrate a drink-free St. Patty's day. Invite family and friends and make sure you specify that the party is drink-free. Have some Irish games, finger food and lots of dancing, that's all the merry people need.
Set an example for the youngsters instead of leading them to their doom. Think of new and fun ways to celebrate St. Patty's Day. Make St. Patrick's Day an excuse to engage in everything Spring-related - be it gardening, cleaning or barbecuing. It is not just about the Shamrocks.
