Learn about St Patrick's Day in the US
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| Hi everyone, I'm Alisha. |
| St. Patrick's Day is one of the most popular United States holidays. It combines a celebration of Irish culture with a great excuse to get out, let loose, and have some fun. It has been celebrated since the eighteenth century, making it one of the most enduring holidays in the United States. It's celebrated in mid-March. |
| The biggest, but not the first, St. Patrick's Day celebrations are held in New York. Do you know where the first one was held? |
| We’ll show you the answer at the end of this video. |
| Irish-Americans have contributed much to the United States, and St. Patrick's Day, to a large extent, is about celebrating that. St. Patrick's Day is also about celebrating the culture from which Irish-Americans come. It has affiliations with the Catholic Church and is also recognized as one of the biggest nights of the year to go out to the local pubs and taverns. St. Patrick's Day in the United States is a big party. |
| If you want to see a big St. Patrick's Day parade, New York is the place to be. This parade has been held every year since 1762 and is one of the country's most vibrant, vivacious, and largest celebrations. There are parades held across the nation, and most of them date back to the nineteenth century or earlier. St. Patrick's Day parades are some of the most attended events of the year. |
| Green, the color most associated with Ireland, is a huge part of St. Patrick's Day. Americans typically try to sport something green on St. Patrick's Day to show their support for the Irish-American community and their acknowledgment of the importance of the day. One popular American tradition is to pinch anybody who fails to wear green on this holiday. In some cities, rivers and fountains are dyed green temporarily to celebrate this special day for Irish-Americans. |
| In 1780, George Washington gave March 17th to his troops as a day to celebrate the Irish fight for independence. He considered this an act of solidarity with the Irish people, of whom made up a large number in his army. |
| And now here's the answer to the quiz. |
| Do you know where the first St. Patrick's Day celebrations were held? |
| The first St. Patrick's Day observance was held in Boston. This was nowhere near as elaborate an event as you'd see in the United States today, but it was important in that it launched a tradition that is now deeply ingrained in American society. |
| How was this lesson? Did you learn something interesting? |
| Is St. Patrick's Day celebrated in your country? |
| Please leave a comment at EnglishClass101.com |
| Until next time! |
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