It's not just a piss up for people round where I live. They've all got Shamrocks on the doors, and all the kids wear green to school that day.

Maybe i'm just a miserable sod but it all seems a bit stupid to me. Not the piss up bit, I'm well up for that. I mean all the other nonsense.

For the last month everytime I go in a shop there's a whole section with green St Patrick's Day t-shirts, hats, etc. Do people really buy that crap just for one day of the year?

I do most of my shopping at Walmart (apart from convenience stores, it is the only decent store within 50 miles of here.) I notice that the poorer the people, the more money they seem to spend on totally useless, holiday-related crap??

To defend them from being hit for not wearing green I always made sure the kids had something green for school. OH likes corned beef and it's on sale so we always have some about this time. The rest of the celebrations they can keep.

Well, it's March 16 today. That means it's St. Urho's Day, so I'll be posting the rest of the day from the pub, drinking Sahti, reciting the Ode to St. Urho and toasting with a loud Heinäsirkka, heinäsirkka, mene täältä hiiteen!

Unfortunately the parade, just like it is every year, was canceled.

The t-shirts even have 2010 on them so thay are literally good for one day!

That won't stop them from continuing to wear them, ie band concert tour tees,

The pub I occasionally play in is still using their 2008 Paddy's day pint glasses. No expense spared there . . .

Hopefully the beer they put in isn't the 2008 beer

I've noticed this too. As soon as one faux holiday is done, you get a day of the crap being reduced to half price, a day at quarter price, then the shite for the next holiday goes up.

God help you if, like round our way, you get snow after Valentine's day, because all the ice melt is gone, replaced by barbecues, Paddy's day and Easter.

We drove past a house at the weekend that had their entire perimeter fence covered with "tacky" plastic shamrocks, I did point out to my OH that if I was going to go to that much effort I would at least remove the white sticky price labels so they weren't showing in my display - it only added to the "tackiness!!!"

If people just got pissed up that would be fine, but to suddenly become Irish all of a sudden and drink Guinness the one time is a bit daft.

band t-shirts are cool though

I decided to have some sport on saturday night as I was sick of hearing 'St Patty'

I was talking to Josh an american friend........
Josh 'So are you coming out for St Patty's?'
Me 'Who's St Patty?'
Josh 'You know it's Irish, St Patty's day'
Me 'Oh I know yes. St Patty. I've heard of her a bit like Mother Teresa wasn't she, no I wont be coming out'

I was then faced with that blank look before he wondered off no doubt to google who is the female St Patty

There's nothing worse than having to bartend or waitress in an Irish bar in NYC on St. Patty's day! You get a bunch of out of town morons who are drunk and throwing up by noon and starting fights. I have worked in several and it's just no fun. The place I work in now doesn't get the Patty's Day crowd Thank God!

I used to get annoyed over it, St Patrick being English, the plastic paddies etc.
Now I just go along and have a bit of fun.

The important question that needs to be asked: where can I find real corned beef over here? Can it be purchased? I haven't had that stuff for years. It's tempting...

What do you mean, English?? He was British...