St. Patrick’s Day or The Day of the Festival of Patrick, is the celebration of one of the patron saints of Ireland. It is a day of festivities and in Ireland, considered a national holiday.

On the annual celebration date of March 17, green is the traditional color of the day with activities featuring plenty of greenery everywhere from floats and costumes in St. Patrick’s Day Parades, to green beer at local taverns, and local rivers dyed green for the occasion.

Rolling landscapes filled with three-leaf shamrocks in Irish meadows, green-clad leprechauns dancing and tipping their green top hat, and the Irish flag of green, white and orange, all evoke St. Patrick’s Day and the celebration of Irish history and culture. The first official St. Patrick’s Day parade was held in the US in 1737 in Boston.

The color green was introduced in the 19th century as a symbol for St. Patrick’s Day. It’s believed Irish fairies prefer the color. It’s also worn by farmers as a lucky charm to help crops grow strong and healthy.

Another tradition of the color green is for kids and teens to dye their hair a brilliant shade of green. Wearing green attire, jewelry, or decorative ribbons is also a way to ward off the tradition of being pinched if not wearing green on St. Paddy’s Day.

Flowers play a significant role in the annual celebration. In Ireland and in the US, Irish heritage is honored by wearing green shamrocks on a hat or clothing. The illusive four-leaf clover symbolizes hope, faith, love and luck; one for each petal. For those enjoying a glass of whiskey, a shamrock is placed on top of the drink. This tradition is know as “drowning the shamrock.”

Another traditional way of celebrating Irish history and the patron saint is by giving a St. Patrick’s Day floral arrangement. Available from Central Square Florist, choose from several floral vases, dishes, or baskets that brighten up the home or office using a variety of plants and colorful flowers to honor the celebration of the Emerald (green) Isle.

Select carnations dyed in shades of green and highlighted with white daisies or delicate green Bells of Ireland flowers to make a visual statement for St. Patrick’s Day. To keep the luck of the Irish going strong, choose an arrangement of green lucky bamboo or a planter of assorted plants as long-lasting gifts that keep on giving throughout the year.