BlightyBoy

I'm amazed how it's such a big thing here. I scarcely even heard of it in England. I guess the stores have to have something between Valentines and Easter.

BigDavyG

Did you not get out much then ??

Pimpbot

Because every American thinks that some distant cousin/uncle came over on the potato boat years ago. It allows them to add "Mc" in front of their last name and wear awful green clothes for a day.

BlightyBoy

I mean it wasn't a big thing like here. You would hear of a few ex-pat Irish going to the pub but here there are parades, stuff in the shops to decorate your house, everyone seems to join in.

Erm, no I didn't get out much! Were they all dancing in the streets while I was indoors?

BigDavyG

There were usually quite a few references to it on British TV I thought and lots of pubs would have publicised it - maybe that was just me

mickmills

I seem to remeber a lot of pubs back home having something for st patricks day. One year they had this promotion where if you drank several pints of guinness they gave you this big guinness hat.

anotherlimey

I think so, I never heard of it that much until I came here.

It's just the commercial break between Valentine's day and Easter.

anotherlimey

Scratch my last post, now I remember!

I've got one of those hats

BigDavyG

Admitedly I've never seen anything like the publicity it gets over here - even in Ireland.
Another hallmark conspiracy methinks

Jerseygirl

I agree, much more is made of St Patrick's Day in the US especially here in the NE. I think this is due to the large population of Irish immigrants on this coast. All these so called 'holidays' are just one more excuse to screw us out of money.

Celsius

It's a conspiracy hatched by Hallmark and the Guinness. Flog the cards and get Americans to drink lots of Irish booze...

mickmills

Don't forget "drink responsibly"

Rete

I'm only familiar with the NYC and Boston areas of the East Coast. Both towns have a very high influx of Irish and for example, on our avenue, the stores and pubs (12 of them now in a 9 block area) are all owned and operated by an Irish citizen.

In both cities you will find parades and a festival day for every nationality, i.e. Stuben Day (German), Columbus Day (Italian), St. Patrick's Day (Irish), Jamaican Festival, Caribben Festival, etc.

Suppose that it is that the Irish are so proud of their heritage and so very new to the US in such high quantities that they all come out and celebrate.

Rete

LOL didn't know that they needed urging to do that ;-) I know more closet Alkies than I can count on two hands and two feet.

BigDavyG

They've been here for years