How to Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day With Your Wee Leprechauns

Enlist the kids in making decorations, or even leprechaun traps on the night before the holiday. (FamVeld/Shutterstock)

St. Patrick’s Day falls on the calendar at just the right time for many families. Just as everyone’s about had their fill of winter and before spring has fully sprung comes this light-hearted, jolly holiday when a pot of gold awaits at the end of every rainbow and it’s perfectly acceptable to break out into a jig at any time.

No matter your family’s cultural heritage—everyone’s Irish on St. Paddy’s Day, as they say—grab your fiddle and create a fun celebration for your wee leprechauns.

Music

However you procure music these days, gather a playlist of traditional, Irish folk songs for a knee-slapping hand-clapping good time. Not sure where to start? Look for artists such as The Irish Rovers, The Dubliners, and The High Kings. Encourage living room dance parties whenever inspiration strikes.

Books

Stack some holiday-themed stories to enjoy throughout the days leading up to St. Patrick’s Day. A mix of fun-filled tales along with informative reads explaining the significance of this cultural celebration will prove both entertaining and educational. One of my favorites is “St. Patrick’s Day in the Morning” by Eve Bunting, illustrated by Jan Brett.

Color

The color of the day is, of course, green. Wear green clothes, set out green decor, eat green food—incorporate the color green into anything and everything you can throughout the day. Perhaps you’ll even surprise your wee ones with some green gifts (green socks, green hair ties, or green bubbles, for example).

Catch a Leprechaun

This is great fun for the wee ones: Put their artistic and engineering prowess to work as you build the perfect trap to lure the mischievous leprechaun in on the eve of St. Patrick’s Day. I’ve yet to hear of a captured one, but in my experience, those leprechauns always leave behind some gold chocolate coins and a bit of a mess.

Irish Food

It wouldn’t be St. Patrick’s Day without some corned beef and cabbage and Irish soda bread. Involve the kids as you prepare these traditional foods—or others, such as black and white pudding, Irish stew, or shepherd’s pie.

The real key to a fun St. Patrick’s Day with your family is to spend quality time together. Don’t forget to take a moment to appreciate just how lucky you are.