During the month of March: everything was spring, green, and St. Patrick’s Day themed. Not all Marriotts Ridge students celebrate, however it’s important that the community understands what it means to those that do celebrate.
St. Patrick’s Day takes place on the 17th of March and is a Christian holiday that honors the anniversary of Saint Patrick’s death. Saint Patrick was the patron saint of Ireland and the national apostle who is credited for the bringing of Christianity to Ireland. The four leaf clover, a well known symbol for St. Patrick’s Day, is a legend commonly associated with the figure and his legacy.
The holiday slowly began to evolve when many of the Irish came over to America due to the famine in Ireland. The color green associated with St. Patrick’s Day is based on the “green machine” political districts. They referred to the amount of political power the large group of Irish immigrants had over the U.S government. Eventually celebratory parades grew in popularity over the years, leading into the parties and celebrations we now know today.
Although many students don’t celebrate the holiday as much as they used to, many shared fond memories of the holiday from their elementary school days.
“I have some vague memories from my elementary school, we made traps and all wore green, which was definitely a fun and positive memory,” sophomore Daria Chatchri said.
Many students share pleasant recollections of St. Patrick’s Day class activities from when they were younger..
“The class parties we would have in elementary school. The whole day would be spent with random activities. At the end of the day we would eat cupcakes and cheez-its,” sophomore Amulya Mandalika said.
While many students celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, they do not know much about the history or significance of the holiday. Many students agreed that it was important to understand the significance behind a holiday before celebrating it.
“There has to be a purpose for celebrating. Whether it is celebrating independence or a specific achievement, there is no point in calling a day a ‘holiday’ if there is no significant reason behind the day. The holiday quickly loses its original meaning, as more stereotypical forms of the holiday are set forth, while the actual meaning and culture behind the holiday is covered up,” said Mandalika.
Members of the Marriotts Ridge student community agreed with this idea of having a reason to celebrate, or the holiday loses its importance. Most students felt the same about holiday commercialization overall; they not only correlated their feelings with St. Patrick’s, but with other holidays as well.
“The significance of holidays is a big part of celebrating in general, so it’s definitely important to understand why you’re participating and what you’re doing,” Chatchri said.
However, some students felt that if you are celebrating and enjoying the holiday, there is no problem with not fully understanding the history behind it.
“As long as you have fun celebrating, it’s okay [not to know the history.]” senior Katherine McConnell said.
Understanding the history behind a holiday before celebrating is an argument that has been debated for years. Whatever one’s beliefs are on this topic, what’s most important is remaining respectful towards others holidays and traditions. Even though St. Patrick’s Day isn’t for everyone, it’s a perfect time for students in Marriotts Ridge to bond with friends and family. Whether celebrating St. Patrick’s Day is enticing or not, it can be an excellent opportunity to spend time with loved ones.