Method to the Madness

I was just too pooped yesterday evening to write about our St. Patrick’s Day shenanigans. Spending the whole day walking in the cold can do that to a person I suppose.

I woke up and got my son ready to be in the big parade downtown. My dearest friend and her husband’s family have a One Stop Wireless store with a float for the parade and everyone was invited to ride. We “greened up” then proceeded to cover every inch of it with coats and blankets because the weather, in traditional St. Patty’s style, was simply not going to cooperate! After an absolutely beautiful weekend…the temperature dropped into the 40’s then started to rain! Yay! It was very wet and cold, but didn’t seem to dampen anyone’s spirit!

After the parade we went out for some lunch, and ended up at the Shriner’s lodge to relax and unwind after the day’s events. We made it home in time for a dinner of Corned beef sandwiches, and crashed into bed from exhaustion.
Just for the record:
1. We did not consume the first drop of alcohol…no green beer…nothing.
2. We paid our respect to the many Irish families that live in Savannah and celebrate each year with this parade.
3. Yes, I decorated my dinner table with green shamrocks and St. Patrick’s day plates and
4. no…I don’t feel bad for commercializing a religious holiday.

I suppose I should elaborate and say that I tend to decorate for EVERY holiday, because I just find it more pleasant than being a bah humbug-ger and doing nothing. When I was a kid, my mother always decorated her home for the corresponding holiday, albeit there were fewer of them it seems back then, but never the less I think it made for wonderful memories that I still enjoy today.

I decorate for Christmas, I give my kids Valentines, and we dress up in nice clothes to go to Easter egg hunts each spring.

St. Patrick’s Day is such a huge holiday here in Savannah that I found it no problem to jump on the bandwagon for this occasion either. I used the opportunity to talk about Ireland, it’s history, some of their old traditions and superstitions, the kids looked for it on the map, we discussed, we learned ….and of course, I used it as another opportunity to create a family memory.

Exhibit A: The Leprechaun trap!
The kids create an elaborate trap out of a shoebox decorated with all of the things they think a little leprechaun would like. Shiny gold, green paper, stickers, rainbows ect.
Then it’s propped it up and baited it with the some Lucky Charms cereal. The kids go to bed giddy with the excitement at the possibility of catching a leprechaun and POLITELY asking him to SHARE his gold. The next morning, they awake to a trap that although had been triggered, did not manage to catch the little fella. He does, however, leave a trail of green confetti, a few gold coins, and a note to the kids telling them how clever the trap was and better “luck” next year! In all of his excitement, the leprechaun lost his little hat, and the kids were thrilled to find it!

Call me commercial… and tell me I’m ruining the sanctity of the world’s holidays by succumbing to the marketing ploys of corporate America if you will…but I choose to look at it differently.

I’ll find any opportunity I can to create family moments and memories, while teaching my children something at the same time, in a fun way that catches their attention.

As with everything in life…it’s all about balance.

Making sure to teach the history and values that go along with the silly celebrations, seems far more productive than leaving children to interpret this big confusing world on their own.
But that’s just me.

Now I’m off to go find the Easter decorations in the garage!