Today I am thinking about St. Patrick's Day...
Poor St. Patrick's Day is in the same boat with Thanksgiving...completely looked over! The stores change from Halloween to Christmas and Valentines to Easter with out so much as a thought about the holidays in between. Well...maybe they might have an end cap or something, but seriously!!
When I was little I remember forgetting to wear green and painting a green shamrock on my cheek with a marker, or telling everyone that I had on green underwear or something...heaven forbid I should be pinched by a cute boy! ; ) Now that I have kids of my own holidays are SO much fun! Especially now that I have a few in school...their teachers usually make St. Patrick's Day a big deal! I LOVE it! In kindergarten they usually find tiny green foot prints around the classroom as the mysterious leprechaun gets into trouble each night while the kids are gone. My boys have both been so excited each day to tell me what the leprechaun did! They build traps to try and catch him and they talk joyously about what his treasure is like!
So I thought I would share a few of the fun things I like to do with my kids to celebrate this fabulous holiday!
We usually dress up in green. I usually find $5 shirts at Walmart that fit the bill! We have fun taking pictures!
One year my sister sent us the cutest story about a leprechaun and his treasure. The story said that if you put a treasure box out the night before St. Patrick's Day the leprechauns will leave you a little treasure. Only the leprechaun doesn't like to leave it where you put it...you must follow the trail of leprechaun dust to the spot that he hid the box! She sent us an unfinished craft treasure box with some green paint and stickers. The kids had so much fun painting and decorating their box! She also included some stuff for me the "leprechaun" to complete the mischief. She had paper shamrock confetti and a bag of hershey's treasures! I hid the box in a great spot and then created a trail out of the confetti. It was so fun that we have done it every year since!
We also have a green breakfast...for dinner! I make green french toast and orange juice! The kids LOVE eating something completely green!
Here are some ideas of cute Leprechaun traps you can make
Isn't this a cute craft?! You make it out of a toilet paper roll, paint, pipe cleaner, and some green craft foam! I think this will be perfect to make this year!
I usually buy my shirts or dig some green ones out that we already have, but I just might try my hand at making our own this year!
This is a lousy picture, but the idea was to make rainbow jello treats! Layering the different kinds of jello into glass cups and then topping with whipped cream! I just might try this...it does take a while to make, but it looks so fun and I know that my kids would LOVE it!
How do you celebrate St. Patrick's Day? I would love some more ideas to add to our traditions!
Think about it...
Oh - what great ideas! I love the leprechan treasure chest and having the kids follow the dust, etc. So cute. I'm going to try that! Here is a link to my kids in their shirts and some other stuff that I made them last year. :)
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Oh I can't wait to try that treasure hunt idea- I googled it and found the little story that goes with it - my kids will love this!! You are awesome to have such cute traditions with your children for every holiday!!!!
ReplyDeleteWe do pretty much the same things I also try to serve something traditional Irish for dinner and I color my husband's beer green which he isn't really fond of but the kids think it is hilarious. We drink green milk and usually have green pancakes for breakfast! Fun tradition about the treasure box, might have to do something like that this year.
ReplyDeleteSo fun! I love it!
ReplyDeleteI love that you leave a trail of confetti. HA! I had never heard of St. Patrick's Day fun like that. This is such a fun idea. And breakfast for dinner? We must've been friends in another life :o)
ReplyDeletethese are such great ideas! what is the name of the book you read with your kids?? i would love to get it for mine. thanks!
ReplyDeleteCute ideas. Our tradition is to have Lucky Charms cereal for breakfast. I also make a trail of gold coins to the "pot of gold" which is usually some kind of treat or small toy.
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