Traditions! Traditions!

Today I realized how into St Patrick's Day I apparently am. My family is pretty much European mutts, but we do have a tiny bit of Irish in us. As such, I have a lot of happy memories and traditions that were beaten [or rather pinched] into my very being.

I noticed this intensity in myself when I changed out of the green basketball shorts I was wearing [just to drive Logan to class, mind you] and HAD to find a bracelet with green on it. Just to drive Logan to class! Old habits die hard. I'm feeling pretty nostalgic, so I'll share some of my memories and our traditions.

The Food:

I have wonderful memories of my mom making green eggs and ham, green pancakes, green milk, green everything for breakfast. [Side note: The green milk always kind of grossed me out. I swear it tasted different. Milk just shouldn't be green, however fun.]

Corned beef and cabbage. And potatoes. Oh my! Corned beef and cabbage. This has to be my favorite tradition. I am depressed this year without it. But, I just couldn't justify making it for just Logan and me and having a bunch of leftovers. I am a strictly once-a-year corned beef eater. Plus, I really don't like cooking these days... Especially meat.

... And let's be honest. The latter excuse is the real driving factor here. But don't worry. I told Logan I am never allowed to be pregnant on St Pattie's Day again... Ha! ;) Today we had "leprechaun's gold" and "four leaf clover trees"... AKA Mac n Cheese and Broccoli. 

The Attire:

My siblings and I would plan out our green outfits in advance--definitely including pajamas the night before--because you couldn't wake up without green on!!! Absurd. You'd be woken by pinching for sure. Our underwear also always included green. Amelia and I used to share a room. If you didn't have green on your underwear, you just might get pinched while you change from pjs to day clothes. Usually we had to paint our nails too, just to be safe.

As we got older, we liked to wear as little green as possible so that maybe, just maybe, someone might be tricked into pinching us so we could pinch them back. I remember my wonderful mom [almost surely intentionally] not wearing green pajamas so we could pinch her in the morning. It always felt so sneaky and satisfying.

The Superstitions:

I don't know about at your house, but leprechauns liked to get into some mischief at the Clark house. The one I remember most was all of the clothes being dumped off of my closet shelves and onto the floor. Those sneaky leprechauns. *Cough* Amelia *Cough*

But better than that.... When I was about 4 or 5, my siblings convinced me that I was adopted. From leprechauns. Yep. You read that right. And they told me that on my next Birthday, the King of the Leprechauns was going to come back and claim me.

I was terrified. They described him quite vividly and told me that if I paid attention, I'd start noticing that I had leprechaun powers beginning to develop. I was soon going to be one of them. I was so afraid of this little bearded man hopping out of a hole and kidnapping me. It was awful.

Other myths included the typical one about the gold at the end of the rainbow, or the one where every time you hear a bell ring a Leprechaun wedding just happened. I also spent some time searching for four-leafed clovers.

I doubt my older siblings remember half of these things. They must have just happened when I was at a critical age or maybe I'm just silly. BUT, with this little baby coming, it has me thinking. I sure hope that our home has as many fun memories and traditions, even for the little holidays. My mom [and siblings] were just so good at that. I hope I can create that magic here too.

And chances are, since I still have to paint one of my fingernails green before I get into the shower on St. Patrick's Day... I'll pass on the crazy.

Just call me Tevye.

From the little bit of Irish inside of me [and the whole lotta leprechaun] I say to you, Erin go Bragh! (Ireland forever!)