Shamrocks, leprechauns, and good fortune all converge on Tuesday, March 17th!  Get your green on with the following festive St. Patrick’s Day-inspired crafts, recipes, and home decor ideas.  

 

But first, a few facts about Ireland’s patron saint:

  • Contrary to what one might expect, St. Patrick was born in England (not Ireland) at the end of the 4th century. 
  • At 15 years of age, he was kidnapped by Irish pirates from his parent’s British estate.  He spent the next 6 years of his life as a captive slave in Ireland. 
  • After his escape, he remained in Ireland and trained to become a Christian priest.  Eventually becoming a bishop, he converted a large portion of the Irish pagan community into Christians.
  • It is believed that he died on March 17th, around 460 A.D.  Over the course of history, his death-day has grown into the celebration we know today.

 

Are you ready to celebrate?  Read on!

 

 

Lamb and Vegetable Stew

March means spring is on its way, but here in Maine, it can still seem like a distant hope, especially with a winter like this year!  There’s nothing like a hearty stew to thaw your spirits and keep them afloat until warmer days.  Whether hosting a get-together or just having a family dinner, these two recipes make a fantastic St. Patty’s day meal:

Clover Napkins

Do you ever marvel at the elaborately folded napkins at classy restaurants?  Spruce up your place settings with a bit o’ luck by watching this instructional video on folding clover napkins! Pretty impressive and nifty.

How to Make a Leprechaun Trap

Whether your house if full of little ones or you are the reigning favorite Aunt or Uncle, you’ll love this idea crafty take on capturing a leprechaun. It’s also simply a fun decoration idea for any household or classroom. Learn how to create this Leprechaun Trap.

Irish Coffee Cupcakes

No celebration should ever go by without indulging in something for the sweet tooth in all of us. These adult cupcakes are a sweet, re-incarnation of the traditional Irish Coffee drink -- Yum! Check out the recipe for these scrumptious Irish Coffee Cupcakes here.

 

Don’t forget to fill your bedrooms with luck as well: our New England Ranch Throw features the well-known symbol of good fortune, the horseshoe.  

 

Have your own special ways of celebrating St. Pat’s? Be sure to share in the comments!

 

 

Image Sources:

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-r9O7LTTjcAo/UTo5pMtZL_I/AAAAAAAACgs/Urz_l7MPDi4/s1600/st_patrick.JPG

http://images.meredith.com/content/dam/bhg/Images/recipe/8/R089977.jpg.rendition.largest.jpg

http://www.shesaved.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Leprechaun-Trap.jpg

www.marthastewart.com/sites/files/marthastewart.com/imagecache/wmax-520-highdpi/ecl/images/content/pub/ms_living/2010Q1/mld105455_0310_cupcake1_vert.jpg

Additional Sources:

http://news.discovery.com/history/who-was-st-patrick-120313.htm

March 11, 2015 — Bianca Cloutier

Comments

Marcos said:

That looks delicious!The good news- cnerod beef isn’t what Irish people use, so you can use ham instead. And the water ham’s boiled in is absolutely divine for cooking vegetables with.[]

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