Fun and Frugal Ideas to Celebrate Saint Patrick's Day

Saint Patrick’s Day is a day of celebration around the world, not just in Ireland that takes place on March 17th every year. It is a way to honor Irish culture and commemorate Ireland’s patron Saint, St. Patrick. It is believed that Saint Patrick banished the snakes from Ireland. One tradition that has been around for quite some time is the one of wearing green on Saint Patrick’s Day. While it’s a fun way to celebrate the holiday it’s not the only one. Let’s take a look at some ‘family friendly’ ways that you and yours can celebrate Saint Patrick’s Day this year without breaking the bank.

Indulge in Traditional Irish Food

While many believe that beer and spirits are the traditional ways to indulge when celebrating Saint Patrick’s Day, that is not the case. Corned beef and cabbage, as well as lamb stew are just a few staples that many love to indulge in on the holiday. But one of my favorite, and just about as Irish as you will get are with Potatoes! It’s all about creativity when it comes to having fun and filling your belly up on Saint Patrick’s Day. The following is a great frugal recipe for Corned Beef and Cabbage.

Corned Beef and Cabbage

Follow along with this money saving recipe to indulge in some traditional Irish food on Saint Patrick’s Day.

3 lbs or 1350 g of corned beef (in package)
10 whole cloves
1/4 cup or 60 mL hot sweet honey mustard
2 Tbsp or 15 mL brown sugar
Olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 cloves garlic, minced ( I use the kind in the jars)
1 large head of cabbage, sliced into 8 wedges
Salt

Irish Potato Candy

While potatoes are traditionally Irish, here’s a twist on them all together that’s simply delicious.

1/4 cup or 60 mL of softened butter
1/2 of an 8 oz or 224 g of cream cheese
1 teaspoon or 5 mL of vanilla extract
4 cups or 950 mL of confectioner’s sugar
2 1/2 cup or 595 mL of flaked coconut
1 tablespoon or 15 mL of cinnamon

Instructions

Mix together the butter and cream cheese until it is smooth. Add in vanilla and confectioner’s sugar and mix until smooth. Use your hands to mix in the coconut, and roll the mixture into potato shaped balls. Roll the balls in cinnamon and put onto a cookie sheet and allow to chill. Serve and enjoy!

Have the Leprechaun Pay You a Visit

Young and old will love to find little ‘presents’ from the leprechaun on Saint Patrick’s Day. In my family the kids go “leprechaun hunting”. They develop their own methods of hunting them, tools, baskets, etc, whatever they create to catch him. If you are looking for some actual examples of leprechaun traps, well you are in luck because I’ve gathered up a few ideas just for you.

Image from Spoonful.com

The Hat Trap

That sneaky little leprechaun will never know what hit him with this hat pit fall trap!

It may be helpful to use a cylinder that has some give to it and won’t tip over at the sides. An oatmeal container is perfect for this very project, here is what you will need to complete a hat trap.

Oatmeal Container
Construction Paper (green of course)
Foil
Green Felt (for the fake top)

To make this trap cut a hole in the lid of your oatmeal container (see the image above), conceal this hole with the green felt, which will give way when the leprechaun steps onto it. Decorate the outside of your oatmeal container with construction paper to resemble a hat, like above and ta da! You are finished!

The Leprechaun Hideaway

Image from Inchmark

For this awesome leprechaun trap, you will need a just a few simple materials to catch that gold hungry leprechaun.

Materials

Cardboard box
Gold
Markers
Scissors
Construction Paper (optional)

Design a leprechaun hideaway, that any leprechaun will surely love. Be sure to lead a path of gold to get him inside, and once he’s inside you got him! Design the hideaway however you see fit, that’s perfect for any little leprechaun.

To kick it up a notch you can have that sneaky little leprechaun reek all sorts of havoc around your home. Last year at our house the leprechaun decided to use the restroom, and not get rid of the evidence. He left his green bits everywhere, it was such a mess, one that the kids did not want to help clean up!