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Begorra! It's all about being Irish for a day. True it reminds us of St.Patrick but now it means so much more. This Catholic religious feast day has become more of a secular holiday celebrating Irish culture and all that it entails. Originating in ireland of course it marks the day St.patrick died. It was a holiday like Christmas or Easter at first.

When immigrants came to America they brought their holidays with them. The Irish were no exception but St. Patrick's Day became more popular here than it was in ireland.Chicago colors its' river water green every St.Paddy's day and New York has a giant parade.We go all out and we inspired Ireland to do the same.

Now Ireland rolls out the green carpet for tourists from all over the world who come to celebrate.With Community feasts, big parades and green beer,it is now a major event. St.patrick's Day means laughing away your troubles with Irish jokes while you sample some green beer and watch leprechaun's parade down the street .

This shift has occurred over time because it is fascinating and fun. It captures the imagination from the elusive leprechaun guarding his pot of gold at the end of the rainbow to the luck of the irish represented by the shamrock. The magic is contagious.It is celebrated around the world as a day filled with"blarney" and good humor.

In the 1990's the Irish government decided to use the holiday to showcase all things Irish. A special group was set up called St.Patrick's festival. The goal of the group was to set up a national festival equal to the greatest celebrations in the world.This was meant to project an image to the world of the Irish as creative,dynamic and appealing. It worked.

The first Festival was held there in 1996 and lasted three days. The one in 2006 lasted five days.It is no accident that the general concept of "Irishness"has become more prominent than the religious aspect of the holiday. It was and is a concentrated campaign by the Irish government to make that happen and everyone loves it. Tourists come from all over the world to join in the celebration.

When March 17th comes around it seems we all have a bit of Irish in us. Most of us can't make it to ireland for their big festivals but we can still enjoy the day in many ways irish. We can wear a bit 'o the green and put a shamrock in our lapel while we tell a few outlandish stories.Have some green beer and finish it off with a traditional meal of corned beef and cabbage. We might even make it to a parade.In any case it is all in good fun. So thank the forward thinking Irish government for giving St.Paddy's Day a boost and may you be in heaven a half hour before the devil knows you're dead.

Learn more about this author, Johnette Loefgren.
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