Staying Sober on St. Patrick's Day

The latter is especially true in the secular sense of the holiday, as lots of people – many who aren’t even Irish – look forward to St. Patty’s Day because it’s an excuse for them to drink. However, for a recovering alcoholic or someone who wants to cut back on their alcohol consumption, this holiday can be a bit stressful. As the season of green approaches, we're sharing how to have a sober St. Patrick’s Day that’s still fun.

A Short History of St. Patrick’s Day

While you might know of St. Patrick’s Day, to you, it might just be a day when you wear green to avoid being pinched. But to help make this day less of an excuse to drink and appreciate it more for its true meaning, here's a brief history of the day.

St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated every year on March 17th, which began in 1631 when the church established a Feast Day honoring St. Patrick. He had been the Patron Saint of Ireland and died around the fifth century. According to legend, St. Patrick was born Maewyn Succa and later, after becoming a priest, changed his name to Patricius (or Patrick), which derives from the Latin term for “father figure.”

Not much is known about the Saint other than that he was a Roman citizen and that he was enslaved and taken to Ireland. After escaping his capture, he became a priest and was known to have had a lot of luck converting the Druid culture into Christianity. This supposed luck seems to be the root of all the luck-themed decorations and festivities of the holiday.

What’s more, it wasn’t until 1798, the year of the Irish Rebellion, that the color green became officially associated with St. Patrick’s Day. Up until the Irish rebellion, the color associated with St. Patrick had actually been blue. However, because the British wore red, the Irish began wearing green.

Today’s version of the holiday is the result of constantly changing traditions that are now mere reflections of the original celebration. Since beer advertisements skyrocket around St. Patrick’s Day, downing beer has become a common way to celebrate the day despite there being no relevance to the actual holiday.

Celebrating Sober on St. Patrick’s Day

Contrary to popular belief – and as we’ve shared above – there’s more to St. Patrick’s Day than heavy drinking and wild partying. As March 17th quickly approaches, you can make preparations to enjoy St. Patty’s Day sober with these tips.

Attend a parade

Cities across the nation host St. Patrick’s Day parades. These are excellent ways of getting into the spirit of the holiday and having fun with friends that aren’t built around drinking. If you’re a parent, parades also offer excellent entertainment for kids, including free candy and other goodies that often get tossed into the crowd.

Cook an Irish meal

Food always brings people together, and cooking an Irish meal is a great way to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. Instead of going out to bars or restaurants that will likely be packed full of people who are drinking, pick out a recipe for Irish stew, boxty, coddle, or barmbrack. You can make this dish with your family and use it as a way to celebrate together.

Listen to Irish music

Traditional Irish songs are known for their excitement and liveliness. This type of music demands you to get up and dance. Listening to Irish songs is an excellent way to honor the culture of the holiday and have fun with friends and family. Streaming services like Spotify and Pandora build St. Patrick’s Day playlists each year, and YouTube is an excellent source for free videos and performances.

Have a party with non-alcoholic drinks

While you can enjoy the music and Irish meal either in an intimate setting or alone, another great way to celebrate is by hosting an alcohol-free St. Patrick’s Day party. Invite your closest friends and family to enjoy Irish meals, music, and Irish-inspired mock-tails. You can even have an alcohol-free drink bar where guests can make their drinks, or you can serve something unique, like smoothies or milkshakes.

Spend time with sober friends

Especially if you’re a recovering alcoholic, it’s important to surround yourself with people who support your sobriety. What matters most about the holiday is spending time with people you care about. You can enjoy an alcohol-free St. Patrick’s Day doing whatever you want. The fun of the day doesn’t come from alcohol but from the company that you share it with.