17 March 2004
St. Patrick's Day in America
So today is St. Patrick’s Day. I must say growing up in an Irish (well at least half Irish) household things were always very different than in most houses. No one goes out to the pub at 6:00 am to start drinking green beer (green alcohol? That would be a sin!), no one parties all day, or many of the other things that American’s do. In Ireland it is a holiday. Yes, schools and shops are closed. You go to Church and then have a big family meal. Okay so there is drinking at dinner, but that it more to deal with the long hours that you have to spend with your family. Growing up with my Mother’s family it was like that. It was not until 1999 that I went out with a few friends who broke me down stating that they were not going to watch me sit in my dorm room for the third year in row while all of the campus, the city and the country went wild.
How did the night end?
Did I finally come to understand the “True Meaning” of St. Patrick’s Day as my American (an non-Irish household) friends claimed?
In a word: NO!!!
I (the only sober one left at the bar) ended the night taking my very drunk friend home - a 10 minute walk that took us about a hour to do – along the walk home he proceeded to get sick down my back, yup right down my sweater and my jeans that were a bit to big so it just slid right down the back of my jeans when it finally escaped in my new and very cute black paten leather sandals and then blew in nose in my hair…
Needless to say I have never felt the need to go out for what should be reserved as a Holy Day not a Holiday…
I have heard from my relations in Ireland that the American ideas and ideals for the day have invaded and that some of younger ones are missing from the dinner table, as they are busy celebrating down at the local pub…
So you may be wondering what I am planning on doing today to celebrate. I’ll probably do as I was raised to do on this day - Go to church, and then go home to have dinner. But I will make one small detour in my plans as we are in the States. I am going to go get my taxes done today, as April 15th is less than a month away now.
Who knows, maybe someone will call me for a ride home from the bar. It has happened before, as I am usually one of the only sober people home on this “American Holiday”…
Oh and on a funny note, over the weekend my mother said that she was FedEx-ing me a package with something in it that she got at the Local (PA) Irish shop. So I stopped by my place yesterday to pick up the Post (Phil does not get the Post and it is killing my morning routine I end up reading the paper from the day before to make up for it, but it is just not the same thing!) and found the package. I opened it (okay more like ripped it open as my Mom usually sends some totally fab gifts!) up. Now my mother said that the gift was “Something that I could use in the future but would not be using right now.”.
An odd statement to say the least.
What was in the package?
A candle that said “Bless this Irish House Hold” and on the back it had a poem about an Irish marriage…
Something to be used in the future I thought?
Had she joined on to the Jewish bandwagon of getting me married off?
What happened to the whole thing of my Aunt Mag (my Mother’s older sister who did the “right thing” by marring an Irishmen) of telling me that I was not going to get pressure until I was at least 35?
I had been counting on those 9 years!!!
I can take the pressure from one side, but not both! I thought to myself!
My mother has been the one that has been saying for the past few years:
“There is never enough time for a bad (hasty) marriage and always time for a good one.”
I what was thinking that she was supporting me?
What happened to taking my time and finding the right person?
What was this???
I wrapped the candle back up and put it away until I had thought of something to say to my Mother about this issue and I would not lose my head in the process…Then my Mother called this morning to wish me a happy St. Patrick’s Day.
The converstation from this morning follows:
Mom: “Did you get that package I sent to you?”
Me: “Ummm…Yeah…”
Mom: “I bought that for Mag and George and accidentally sent it to you and they got your gift. Sorry!”
Me: “Thank God! I’ll send it to Mag right away! I have the Fed Ex Account number!” (I was thinking to myself how I could not get rid of that candle fast enough!!)
Mom: “Oh Mag said that you could keep it for the future. She’ll send your gift down to you today! She said that she does not need it.”
Me: “Oh….I guess that I’ll have to thank her for that…”
But now I wonder what she sent to Mag instead of to me…my Mother has been know to buy me some pretty crazy things such at the end of my first week of college she sent me some really cool tie dyed underwear…she has sent me some nice “going out” clothing…And one year for St. Patrick’s day she sent me clover underwear, which I still have and is VERY cool!…She does send normal mother gifts like books and what not, but she knows how much I like “fun” stuff so if she sees it, and if it is a good price, she’ll buy it and send it to me…So she sent me something that I cannot use now, but can use in the future…I cannot help wondering if Mag got the shock that I did when she opened up the package that was to go to me…I hope Mag sends that package over night!
How did the night end?
Did I finally come to understand the “True Meaning” of St. Patrick’s Day as my American (an non-Irish household) friends claimed?
In a word: NO!!!
I (the only sober one left at the bar) ended the night taking my very drunk friend home - a 10 minute walk that took us about a hour to do – along the walk home he proceeded to get sick down my back, yup right down my sweater and my jeans that were a bit to big so it just slid right down the back of my jeans when it finally escaped in my new and very cute black paten leather sandals and then blew in nose in my hair…
Needless to say I have never felt the need to go out for what should be reserved as a Holy Day not a Holiday…
I have heard from my relations in Ireland that the American ideas and ideals for the day have invaded and that some of younger ones are missing from the dinner table, as they are busy celebrating down at the local pub…
So you may be wondering what I am planning on doing today to celebrate. I’ll probably do as I was raised to do on this day - Go to church, and then go home to have dinner. But I will make one small detour in my plans as we are in the States. I am going to go get my taxes done today, as April 15th is less than a month away now.
Who knows, maybe someone will call me for a ride home from the bar. It has happened before, as I am usually one of the only sober people home on this “American Holiday”…
Oh and on a funny note, over the weekend my mother said that she was FedEx-ing me a package with something in it that she got at the Local (PA) Irish shop. So I stopped by my place yesterday to pick up the Post (Phil does not get the Post and it is killing my morning routine I end up reading the paper from the day before to make up for it, but it is just not the same thing!) and found the package. I opened it (okay more like ripped it open as my Mom usually sends some totally fab gifts!) up. Now my mother said that the gift was “Something that I could use in the future but would not be using right now.”.
An odd statement to say the least.
What was in the package?
A candle that said “Bless this Irish House Hold” and on the back it had a poem about an Irish marriage…
Something to be used in the future I thought?
Had she joined on to the Jewish bandwagon of getting me married off?
What happened to the whole thing of my Aunt Mag (my Mother’s older sister who did the “right thing” by marring an Irishmen) of telling me that I was not going to get pressure until I was at least 35?
I had been counting on those 9 years!!!
I can take the pressure from one side, but not both! I thought to myself!
My mother has been the one that has been saying for the past few years:
“There is never enough time for a bad (hasty) marriage and always time for a good one.”
I what was thinking that she was supporting me?
What happened to taking my time and finding the right person?
What was this???
I wrapped the candle back up and put it away until I had thought of something to say to my Mother about this issue and I would not lose my head in the process…Then my Mother called this morning to wish me a happy St. Patrick’s Day.
The converstation from this morning follows:
Mom: “Did you get that package I sent to you?”
Me: “Ummm…Yeah…”
Mom: “I bought that for Mag and George and accidentally sent it to you and they got your gift. Sorry!”
Me: “Thank God! I’ll send it to Mag right away! I have the Fed Ex Account number!” (I was thinking to myself how I could not get rid of that candle fast enough!!)
Mom: “Oh Mag said that you could keep it for the future. She’ll send your gift down to you today! She said that she does not need it.”
Me: “Oh….I guess that I’ll have to thank her for that…”
But now I wonder what she sent to Mag instead of to me…my Mother has been know to buy me some pretty crazy things such at the end of my first week of college she sent me some really cool tie dyed underwear…she has sent me some nice “going out” clothing…And one year for St. Patrick’s day she sent me clover underwear, which I still have and is VERY cool!…She does send normal mother gifts like books and what not, but she knows how much I like “fun” stuff so if she sees it, and if it is a good price, she’ll buy it and send it to me…So she sent me something that I cannot use now, but can use in the future…I cannot help wondering if Mag got the shock that I did when she opened up the package that was to go to me…I hope Mag sends that package over night!
