St Patrick’s Day Facts for Kids – Details About This Special Day
History, tradition, and culture are essential parts of our society. We must know our culture because it helps to build value and respect. Our kids should know their history and the significance of holidays. Check out all of these fun St Patrick’s Day facts for kids.
Not only should we teach our kids the essence of our holidays, but we should also educate them on other cultures. Teaching them about different cultures will build respect and improve their interactions.
St Patrick’s Day is a public holiday and an important day for Irish People. This green-themed Holiday is a National Holiday, and we will show you some St Patrick’s day facts for Kids. Read on!
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About St Patrick’s Day
We know March 17th is a time for celebration, but how familiar are we with its history?
St Patrick’s day, also called the Feast of St Patrick, is a day to remember an icon, St Patrick, the first patron saint in Ireland. March 17 was the day he died, and the people decided to honor him on that day annually.
The holiday was officially recognized in the early 17th century and was celebrated by different denominations, including; the Catholic church, Anglican Communion, Lutheran church, and Eastern Orthodox church.
This holiday is characterized by parades, parties, wearing green, and displaying shamrocks. All these exhibits and themes have meanings that are part of the holiday, and we’ll talk about them later in the post.
St Patrick’s day is now celebrated in various countries such as the Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland, the United Kingdom, the United States, Argentina, Australia, New Zealand, and others. Many Irish people are scattered worldwide, and this holiday is celebrated in these countries.
About St Patrick
St Patrick, the man for whom an entire holiday was created, who is he?
St Patrick was a Christian missionary born in the fourth century. He was born into an affluent family where his father was a deacon, and his grandfather was a priest. Patrick wasn’t Irish by birth – he was Romano-British.
Records show that Irish bandits kidnapped Patrick at sixteen and sold him into slavery in Gaelic Ireland. At that point, he was used as a shepherd and spent six years tending to sheep. It was during this time that he had his encounter with God. The Declaration recorded that God told Patrick to escape, and a ship would be waiting for him at the coast. He did escape and made it back home, where he became a priest.
Years later, Patrick returned to Ireland voluntarily on a missionary journey, and he spent most of his time in Northern Ireland and led thousands to Christianity. He died on March 17 A.D., 465, which was commemorated in his honor.
The Shamrock and the color green are common trademarks of this holiday. It is said that St Patrick used the Shamrock leaves to explain the holy trinity, and the Irish now use them as part of celebrating his remembrance.
The celebration of St Patrick’s day has evolved over the years, but wearing a shamrock or green clothes remains a vital part of the celebration.
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8 Interesting St Patrick’s Day Facts For Kids
We discussed a brief history of St Patrick’s life. Let’s point out some facts you can teach your kids.
March 17th
Many people know the holiday is March 17th, but only some know why. March 17th was chosen because St Patrick died that day, and it was believed that he went to meet God.
Nationality
St Patrick is a national symbol of the Irish, and a whole holiday is celebrated in his name. However, you’ll be shocked to learn that he is not Irish. St Patrick’s parents were Romans, but they lived in England.
Patrick’s first encounter with Ireland occurred after being kidnapped and sold into slavery. He later escaped to his home before returning to Ireland on a missionary journey.
He Was Enslaved
As we mentioned before, Patrick was sold into slavery. He was kidnapped at 16 by Irish bandits and spent six years working as a shepherd. It was said that he found God during his time as a shepherd, and he later joined a monastery after he escaped.
The Shamrock
The shamrock is a fundamental part of the St Patrick’s day celebration. This tradition became part of the holiday because Patrick used the shamrock for his teachings. He used a shamrock to explain the existence of the God Trinity: God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and he was trying to show how the three are one.
This illustration caused a wave in his audience, and it caused thousands of hearts to be moved to Christianity.
Snakes
After Patrick’s death, other news started spreading about his accomplishments. One of these pieces of information was that he drove all snakes out of Ireland. The authenticity of this news is hard to verify, but it is a widespread belief in Ireland.
Color Blue
Contrary to popular belief, Saint Patrick’s color was blue, not green. Several depictions of Patrick show him wearing blue.
Irish Symbol
Another general misconception is that the shamrock is Ireland’s national symbol. The shamrock has never been their symbol, and it has always been the harp. We can see the image of the harp throughout Ireland’s history.
In 1534, King Henry the Eight printed the harp on the Irish coin. The harp was seen on Ireland’s flags and coats of arms in subsequent years, and the harp was officially declared the national symbol after Ireland gained independence in 1921.
Dry Holiday
St Patrick’s day was strictly a religious holiday by law from 1903 to 1970. It was believed that the day should be kept holy, and pubs were shut down for that day. Also, drinking any form of beer or alcohol was prohibited that day. After it became a national holiday in 1970, the laws were relaxed.
Conclusion on St Patrick’s Day Facts for Kids
St Patrick’s day is a national holiday celebrated on March 17th. It is done to honor the death of Ireland’s first patron saint. The holiday also played an essential political role when Irish people faced harsh discrimination in America.
There is more to this holiday than we generally know, and we looked at some St Patrick’s day facts for kids. Check out these fun facts for kids here and browse all the other topics at the bottom of the post.
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