17 March is St Patrick’s Day and everything from the St Paddy’s Day Parade in New York to the buns in your local burger shop is likely to be turning green! Ready to join in? We’ve got some great ideas for you:

 

  • Make a playlist combining traditional Irish music with modern hits from The Pogues, U2 etc.

  • Encourage everybody to come to work/school/your party wearing green and award a green prize for the best costume - our leprechaun costume is bound to be a success!

  • Remember to buy a few little green items - sunglasses, necklaces, hats, so that those who show up having forgotten their costume can still accessorise themselves appropriately.

  • Cater it green - green smoothies, a creme de menthe punch for the grown ups and shamrock decorated cupcakes will all go down well with guests.

  • Learn an Irish jig and show off your dance moves!

  • Cater some potatoes - they are what Ireland is famous for after all. Baked potatoes with sour cream, chips with chive mayonnaise, tiny new potatoes on a bed of fresh green spinach … they are a great way to feed people easily and cheaply and they soak up some booze if your guests overindulge on the Guinness.

 

And don’t forget that if you’re really pushing the boat out, you can hire an Irish dancer to put on a lively performance at your St Patrick’s Day party and maybe even get your guests to learn a few steps so they can jig along. A firework display makes an evening party memorable (remember they have to finish by 11pm and that’s it’s fair to let your neighbours know you’re having rockets going off so they can take care of their pets). And you can always find a fun run that you can do in Irish fancy dress to make some money for a favourite charity.