I have great memories of St Patrick’s Day. It was my dad’s birthday and as his name was Paddy. The expression “Happy Paddy’s day” means a lot to me.
It was always a party day. When I was a child it was a birthday party for my dad, which was really a party for us children. My dad would organise treasure hunts around the house and lots of other party games. The day would end with us all standing in a circle, holding hands and singing happy birthday to Dad. Each one of the 6 children would get to make
a wish and blow out the candles. Then
it would finish with dad making a wish and blowing out the candles.
I don’t think health and safety would pass this now as I am sure we all left a number of germs on cake as we feverishly blew out all the candles!
Then as we all got older the Paddy’s day party and the birthday song included, husbands, wives and grand children and the group just kept getting bigger until it grew to 36 at the last count!
Even though dad died in 2004 we have kept up the tradition of celebrating Paddy’s Day and we will all gather next Sunday in my mother’s house at 3pm. There is no birthday cake as the “birthday boy” is no longer here to blow out the candles, but there will be
great laughs, lots of conversation and the great-grand children will be playing
lots of new games.
Some traditions are just great to keep going and for me Paddy’s Day is one of them. And as we celebrate the first one since my mom passed last year, new traditions are starting. All born out of the love and joy planted all those years ago
Happy Paddy’s Day everyone
Christine
