There isn't a shamrock's worth of Irish blood in my family. We're 100% purebred Italian. But for one day each year, St. Patrick's Day, our blood runs green.
Maybe it has to do with having New York City as a home base. I was raised in the Bronx and spent many years hanging out in Manhattan. Although I left the city in my mid-twenties, I had already attended countless St. Patrick's Day Parades, and had visited the great St. Patrick's Cathedral many times.
While living in Manhattan during my post collegiate years, I learned to savor Irish coffees on cold winter nights. And on St. Patrick's Day, a glass of green beer actually looked attractive.
My family's affection for the holiday may also be attributed to the fact that it's my father's birthday. Since my dad was born the youngest child in a large family, my grandmother didn't even struggle to find another Italian name for her ninth child. Instead she chose the name of the saint for his birthday, Patrick, rather than Pasquale.
Since his birthday has a special significance, my dad enjoys 'wearing the green' on his day. Unlike having a birthday on a holiday like Christmas that would overshadow the occasion, St. Patrick's Day simply added to the party mood of his day.
Our family's celebration usually included green decorations, wearing green clothing, and a green decorated birthday cake. As far as our culinary celebration was concerned, green iced cake was more than enough. Corned beef and cabbage strayed a little too far from our Italian taste buds.
Of course, even if you aren't Irish, and don't have a close family member born on that day, you can still celebrate St. Patrick's Day. Do it, if for no other reason than all that green reminds us that spring is less than a week away. Start the day by eating some good Irish oatmeal, have a big bowl of pea soup for lunch, cook up some corned beef and cabbage for dinner, and make a Bailey's Chocolate Pots de Creme for dessert. Give the kids green milkshakes, and brew up an Irish coffee for yourself. The Irish don't mind, so go ahead and enjoy the fun!
