St. Patrick's Day: Why We Love It!

Are you getting ready to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day? Each March, thousands of people across the globe celebrate St. Patrick's day with celebrations and put on their best green attire while enjoying drinks with friends. So why do so many Americans mark this occasion?

A brief history of St. Patrick’s Day

Living during the fifth century, St. Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland and is credited for bringing Christianity to the country. Since his death, his legend has become ingrained in Irish culture, and the first celebrations began around the ninth century.

Why do we celebrate it in America?

One of the first documented parades in America was in 1601 when an Irish vicar wanted to mark the occasion of St .Patrick with a parade. Over 100 years later, a group of soldiers held a similar parade in New York and Boston with both of them becoming annual events.

Over the following decades Irish patriotism flourished, and more and more immigrants would hold celebrations each March. This was accelerated following the potato famine, which saw almost one million Irish people arrive in the country.

As Irish immigrants spread out across the United States, St Patrick's Day celebrations reached more cities and each city developed their own tradition – such as Chicago, where they dye the river green!

Ready to show your pride?

If you are looking to show your Irish pride this St. Patrick’s Day, then Degree T-Shirts has a whole host of designs just for you! One of our most popular is our 60% drinking jumpers, while our Irish Lass Water Bottle is perfect for that special woman in your life. Not sure what to wear? Check out the full range of clothing and accessories here!

Have a safe and Happy St. Patrick’s Day! Drink responsibly.