Everyday Irish, Everyday Blessed

Holidays are wonderful times to celebrate, have fun, let loose, and be surrounded by those we love. They are days to wear special colors, take special pictures, eat special food, and drink special drinks.

St. Patrick’s Day is no different. Today, crowds of people rocking green shirts adorned with shamrocks will enjoy some soda bread and an Irish beer – and they’ll most likely snap a picture or two. Whether of Irish heritage or not, they’ll spend the day storytelling, singing, dancing, and carrying on, which, according to the sign currently above my fireplace, are the kind of things you’ll see in an “Old Irish Pub.”

My family has an Irish background, so I am no stranger to this holiday. I’ve had my fair share of corned beef and cabbage dinners, worn several “Kiss Me, I’m Irish” pins, and have been surrounded by a plethora of green decorations.

Did I mention our dog’s name is Guinness?

In addition to being festive occasions, holidays are also perfect times to stop and reflect on life and the real message of the day. The Feast of St. Patrick commemorates the arrival of Christianity in Ireland and celebrates the culture of the Irish. I took some time today to just read about the history of the celebration and visited some Irish Blessings. These simple, inspirational messages are enough to bring positivity to your day and a smile to your face.

This quote especially brightened my day because I know it’s the blessing my family wishes for each one of its members, every day of the year. I’ve seen it engraved on plaques and taped on refrigerators, and now it is here on my blog.

I have a few things to get done today, but tonight I’ll most likely throw on a green sweater and enjoy some Irish spirits with my family. I’ll leave you with a few shots from my St. Patty’s Day weekend:

I picked up these delicious treats and brought them to work on Saturday.

Obviously, my favorite customer got the shamrock cupcake. Hi, Bill!

Yesterday, I spent the day in Jersey City visiting my friend. On our way to the restaurant, we took in the amazing views of New York.

The Freedom Tower seemed so close!

While we didn’t have traditional Irish Soda Bread at brunch, the Light Horse Tavern’s banana bread was out of this world (served with fresh berries and cinnamon cream). The mimosas and bellinis were pretty good, too.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day! I hope you have a blessed day full of luck and shamrocks.