Do you celebrate St. Patrick's Day? I am a huge tradition lover, but this is a holiday I like to keep super low maintenance. The good news... it is super easy to have fun with this holiday while taking the pressure off yourself. Here are a few things my family either does every year or has done in the past. I hope you find an idea in here that will make your St. Patrick's Day extra fun without the added stress!
St. Patrick's Day Traditions:
1. Have a St. Patrick's Day Scavenger Hunt
One of the best St. Patrick's Day traditions for kids is to send them on a scavenger hunt. Here is a scavenger hunt I use every year (no joke, I have saved these clues and use them EVERY SINGLE year). Even my 14 year old does it every year and doesn't remember the order.
Happy St. Patrick's day, lads and lasses! Follow the clues and use your mind if it is treasure you are hoping to find. Ready to have some fun? First, go to where your hair gets done.
This clue will make you think! Where do you go when you need a drink?
Keep on searching to find more, the next clue is by the door.
You're doing great, just keep on looking. Head to where your mom or dad does the cooking.
Well done kids, you're not there yet. Go to where mom's hair gets wet.
You're almost there, do not tire, go to where we sit by the fire.
You're working hard, let's head outside. In the backyard is where the next clue hides.
Do you feel lucky? You're getting close--go to where you wipe your nose.
You'll have fun with the next clue. You will find it in a shoe.
You're so close, I can taste it. Go look under a blanket!
Go outside to where you like to play. It will help you on your way.
This last clue leads you to your prize. You'll find it where you rest your eyes. (At the end of the scavenger hunt, each child finds a little treasure on their bed pillow. I usually get gold chocolate coins or something green the kids can wear to school.)
2. Make Shamrock Shakes
I don't know if these are actually a thing or not, but this is another one of my favorite St. Patrick's Day traditions for kids. My husband started to make these shakes a few years ago. We make them by using starlight mint ice cream, then we blend it with milk, ice, and a little extra sugar. They are delicious (and green!).
3. Buy Something Green
After a few years of my kids finding themselves without something green to wear on St. Patrick's Day, I started to pick up a few accessories like green hair bows or something silly from the dollar store like a necklace. It's nice to have a few things saved that kids won't grow out of for low maintenance St. Patrick's Day attire.
4. Put Together a Rainbow Charcuterie Board
Rainbow charcuterie boards are the easiest and healthiest idea for St. Patrick's Day food. It takes almost no time to grab fruits and vegetables in all the colors and arrange them in a rainbow on a charcuterie board. Another easy (albeit less healthy food option) is making green jello in clear cups, putting a dollop of cool whip on them, and then connecting two of the cups with a rainbow Airhead candy.
5. Create Leprechaun Traps
I rarely get involved with this St. Patrick's Day tradition, but my kids learned it from their friends, and now they make Leprechaun traps every year. It's fun and silly. Some things to consider when building them:
They are usually constructed out of household items and/or craft supplies and are designed to lure the leprechaun in with gold coins or other treats.
When a Leprechaun gets caught in a trap, they often leave behind evidence of their presence–footprints, shamrocks, chocolate gold coins, or a note for the children who set the trap!
Legend has it that anyone who traps a Leprechaun on the night before St. Patrick’s Day will be granted three wishes!
For more ideas and tips on constructing a Leprechaun trap, click HERE.
6. Leave Out Leprechaun Surprises
Every year on St. Patrick's Day, our milk magically turns green milk as does the water in our toilet. Some years, we even find some green footprints around the house, but it just depends how much energy I have the night before!
7. Eat Lucky Charms Cereal for Breakfast
This St. Patrick's Day tradition for kids is so simple, it almost seems silly, but it's not! Lucky Charms is a cereal I don't buy any other time of the year, so for one breakfast, it feels like a treat.
8. Set Up a Rainbow Balloon Arch
For those feeling a little more ambitious, making a balloon arch to put somewhere in the house is such a fun way to surprise your kids with a burst of color. A few years ago, my friend brought me a balloon arch, and it is still my all-time favorite St. Patrick's day memory.
9. Plan a St. Patrick's Day Dinner
This looks different every year. Sometimes we do a traditional Irish dinner of corned beef and cabbage and other years we try and eat an all-green meal. In recent years, we just have a lot of green vegetables, but I have been known to dye pizza dough and even cheese green just to celebrate.
What do you think of these St. Patrick's traditions? I want to hear which ideas you try! Happy celebrating. I love making each holiday special, and this is a fun one for little pressure, minimal planning, and lots of laughs!
Jen is the founder of Reset Your Nest, a Professional Home Organizing Business in Utah (servicing Salt Lake City, Park City, Ogden, Alpine, Highland, Mapleton, and St. George). She loves creating order and systems out of chaos and is known for bringing a beautiful aesthetic as well as easy to maintain function to any space. She shares her tips and tricks on Instagram @reset_your_nest.
Hey Jen!! I love your ideas!! When my kids were little I used to put green gel food coloring on the outside of my hands and make a fist - then "walk" my fists on the wood floor into the bathroom and make 2 more fists on the toilet seat! They looked like leprechaun feet! The kids loved that. My husband's name is Patrick so we always do something fun to celebrate! We still tie a string to their beds and they have to follow the string to a little gift from the leprechaun. We always have traditional corned beef and cabbage with mashed potatoes too. Fun fun!!