Lashings of lads and lassies will finally be donning duds of green with plenty of bevvies in hand in the spirit of the upcoming Sunday hooley — St. Patrick’s Day.
Observed for more than 1,000 years, the celebrations began as a religious commemoration of the saint’s death in the fifth century during the season of Lent. St. Patrick’s Day was originally an Irish holiday; families would first attend church before feasting in the afternoon. Lenten prohibitions against meat consumption were lifted, allowing revelers to drink and feast, according to History.com.
And thanks to the semester switch, Ohio University’s students finally have a chance to join in on the festivities Sunday and possibly outrank prior top Saint Patty’s Day parties at Miami University and University of Dayton.
Though Kahla Keegan, a sophomore studying visual communications at OU, won’t be on campus for the entire celebration Sunday and had to miss this year’s Green Beer Day, she plans to make up for it, attending some of the much-anticipated parties. And even with Milliron and Mill Fests preceding the holiday on Friday and Saturday, Keegan is still looking to celebrate her Irish side.
“I’m definitely bummed I missed out on Green Beer Day,” she said. “It looks like I have a lot of drinking to do this weekend.”
OU students aren’t the only ones hoping to get in on the action, as the National Retail Federation predicts spending during the holiday will increase by 1.3 percent to $4.7 billion, the majority of funds coming from younger generations. The majority of young adults — about 77.3 percent — between the ages of 18-24 reported to have plans for the jubilee.
Despite the generation gap, most of those surveyed said they wanted to let loose or have fun at a private party, restaurant or bar.
“There’s no question that this holiday resonates most with younger adults, but even mom and dad will get in the spirit this year by making special plans for a night in, or visit with friends and neighbors for the afternoon,” said Pam Goodfellow, director of BIGinsight Consumer Insights, which helped fund the survey, in a news release.
The survey also reported that eight in 10 people will wear green to avoid those traditional yet painful pinches. Another 23.3 percent plan to decorate their home or office, and 24.6 percent will have a special dinner.
“St. Patrick’s Day is the perfect reminder that spring is right around the corner, and given the type of winter many Americans have had, it’s safe to say consumers are ready to shake off their winter blues with a little green,” National Retail Funds President and CEO Matthew Shay said in the company’s news release.
After dealing with Ohio’s unpredictable weather, that’s exactly what Keegan and her friends plan to do — along with a little help from their fellow Bobcats.
“(We’re) for sure excited,” she said. “Especially since it’s our first week back from break.”
lf328610@ohiou.edu
