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Top o’ the marnin’ to ya! I must reflect on the charm of St. Paddy’s Day, even though I don’t think there’s a drop of Irish anywhere in my bloodline. But, as they say, everyone is Irish on St. Patrick’s Day. I think it’s great; what other ethnicity has a holiday associated with it to the degree of this one? Very rarely do I think about having different heritage, but I’d venture to say that being Irish would be the most fun. How could it not be, with green funny hats, little green men, lucky clovers and green food coloring in almost everything? You gotta love it.

When I was in 4th grade, my mother let me choose between having a Valentine’s party and a St. Patrick’s Day party. I chose the latter, and my 8 girlfriends and I had a wonderful time-I remember loads of shamrock sugar cookies and still have the photo of us outside in the snow…It was on St. Patrick’s Day that I first visited Disneyland with one of my young beaus, who had moved there after high school to make it big in Hollywood. (He never did, by the way.) I still have a picture of myself in front of the park, wearing my shamrock pin. There was the time I went to New York for St. Paddy’s weekend and bought green carnations from a vendor while watching the parade down 5th Avenue, amazed at the literal human traffic jam. I had so many positive recollections of the St. Patrick’s days of my past, I wanted to make if fun for my daughter as well. In her former elementary school, someone would paint green footprints through the halls as evidence of a leprechaun visit. So, one year Mr. Leprechaun visited our house and left a note for her. My little 2nd grader was wowed! Unbeknownst to me, she took the letter to school to prove to other kids and teachers that he really did exist…suffice it to say she was not a happy camper when she came home.

Are you wearing green today? It’s always been one of those really cool things to me that, for one day out of the year, the majority of people wear shades of the same color. (Then again, I feel the same about almost everyone in the country eating the same food on Thanksgiving.) Now, as green goes, many people simply don’t like it or have it in their wardrobes. My husband is one of those; even if I would remind him to wear green, he can’t, as he has nothing green in work attire. On the other hand, I have a good deal of it, from an emerald green coat to more subdued mints. In fact, my all-girls high school had only two types of uniforms: light olive and dark olive. (I’m surprised I can even still abide the color.) St. Patrick’s Day is a day when I notice what colors folks are wearing, and I can’t imagine forgetting about it. There is a whole contingent who could not care less, for who knows what strange reason. Either they think they shouldn’t because they’re not Irish, or being part of the crowd is limiting their freedom of expression or something equally inane. St. Paddy’s day is for fun and laughs and all things silly, so perhaps that’s why it’s hard to resist celebrating, and wearing green is just one small way to do so. Of course, you could go all out and buy a green bowler hat, shamrock-checked scarf or any of the other really creative merchandise that’s out there-or you could still get into the spirit with a velvety shamrock pin (with a little leprechaun pipe in the middle, of course). This is one of those days, where, if you get into the spirit, you carry with you conversation pieces that may initiate small talk with people who you’ve never talked to before-and always wanted to. Surely everyone can dig out something that’s green to add a little spice to their day.

Hopefully, I’ve put you in the spirit to have some fun today with the wearin’ of the green-enjoy!