Why is Color Green Part of St. Patrick's Day? - as part of the travel series by GeoBeats.
Pop Quiz: What color was considered unlucky in Ireland?
Answer - Green! The color we wear every year to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day.
Although hard to believe, blue was the color initially associated with St. Patrick’s Day. Over time, it got changed to green.
Thought no one knows for sure, there are several different explanations for why we associate green to this fun-loving holiday.
Ireland is called the ‘Emerald Isle’ for the lush green surroundings and beautiful natural landscape. Then we have Ireland’s three colored flag of orange, white and of course, green!
Green is the color of Spring, and on March 17th, the day Saint Patrick passed away, green grass and plants were beginning to show again. Lastly, the most common belief is the tale of how Ireland’s patron saint used a green shamrock to talk about God and thereafter pinned the 3 leafed clover to his robe.
The connection between Saint Patrick and the color green became so strong that many believed those mean, nasty little leprechauns would pinch them if they were caught not sporting the color!
Today we can take a walk along the Chicago River which is dyed deep green for the St. Patrick’s Day Parade, then head to a bar and celebrate with a green colored beer.
So what do you say - stick with green or go back to original blue?
