Happy St. Patrick's Day!

I wish all my friends who read this blog a very happy St. Patrick's Day with all the luck of the Irish.

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Symbols of St. Patrick's Day

Shamrocks
St. Patrick used the three-leafed clover to illustrate the doctrine of the Trinity to his pagan audience in Ireland according to Christian legend
The Celtic people revered the shamrock as a sacred plant because it symbolized the rebirth of spring.

Leprechauns
Leprechauns were known in ancient Irish as "lobaircin," meaning "small-bodied fellow." Belief in leprechauns probably stems from Celtic belief in fairies, tiny creatures who could use their magical powers for good or evil. In Celtic folklore, the lobaircin were cranky fairies who mended the shoes of the other fairies. They were also mischievous and delighted in trickery, which they used to guard their fabled treasure.

Traditional fare of the day

Corned Beef and Cabbage
Corned beef and cabbage is the traditional meal enjoyed by many Americans on St. Patrick's Day. Cabbage served with bacon, not corned beef, is the traditional Irish fare. Corned beef was substituted for bacon by poor Irish immigrants to the Americas around the turn of the century.