My family and I traditionally observe St. Patrick’s Day with traditional Irish food.
Having read biographies of St Patrick with my children when they were younger, I wish there was more known about the man. We know that he was the son of a Roman nobleman, and he was born in Scotland. He was kidnapped from his hometown and taken as a slave into Ireland around the age of 16. He escaped to Gaul, at the age of 22, and returned to Scotland.
One source claims that to learn about the man behind the holiday, one can read Confessio and Epistola, letters he wrote. The first is described as Saint Patrick’s spiritual autobiography. The second is his attempt to right the mistreatment of Irish Christians at the hands of the British. These two works, however, do not teach us enough about the man to know what is true and what is fancy.
I like to believe the story surrounding Saint Patrick, that after years of slavery and imprisonment, God enabled him to win pagan Ireland to Christ by his explanation of the Trinity using a shamrock. He taught that God is one being, with three separate personalities – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
As a teaching tool, he plucked a shamrock from the ground and showed the pagans how the shamrock is one plant with three separate leaves.
If you have younger children you might enjoy downloading St. Patrick’s Day Coloring Pages a complimentary ebook with pages to color with shamrocks and other traditional Irish lore. You can use the pages as a jumping off point for a lesson about St Patrick.
With older children, you might like to talk about the life of St Patrick as well as have them help prepare a traditional meal of Corned Beef, cabbage, Irish Soda Bread, and Irish Cream Cheesecake. All this information is contained in a complimentary ebook called St. Patrick’s Day:Not Just for the Irish.
Other information traditionally associated with St. Patrick’s Day including the tradition of wearing, green, the shamrock, the Blarney Stone, and Leprechauns are also explained in the ebook St. Patrick’s Day:Not Just for the Irish .
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Lynne in NC says
What a great resource, thanks for sharing it! I’m definitely adding this to our celebration this year. I bought our corned beef yesterday and I’ll be preparing the cabbage today.
I am enjoying the Menu Planning Central, too. I signed up for the monthly service. It is a wonderful resource and helps so much with my weekly menus. I like the variety of choosing between the three different menu types. I would recommend it to other Urban Homemakers.
Thank you for encouraging me in my home making.
Peace,
Lynne
Lisa Riebel says
I am so terribly sorry for your loss. We will be praying for you.
Lisa Riebel
Grand Junction, CO