St. Patrick's Day Party Ideas
by Colleen Moulding

St. Patrick's Day is a great excuse for a party. Here are a few ideas to make sure everyone has a great time.

Invitations
Shamrocks, rainbows, Irish flags and pots of gold are all possible shapes for invitations. Make a template then just draw around it and cut invitations out of thin card. Decorate with leprachauns, lucky horse shoes, clover etc. and write on them with green ink. Or make some on your computer and just print them off.

Decorations
Party shops will have lots to choose from, green balloons, bunting, banners, wall signs or of course you can make your own. Cut triangles from green and orange paper or fabric and string together for bunting. Tie green ribbons on all your door and cupboard knobs. Set a shamrock on the table in a pretty green pot, and scatter around some gold chocolate coins. Gather any green items from around the house and use them all in one room to make a green statement, this could be a cushion, a throw, glass vases, a lamp - together they will have more impact. Put out green soap and towels in the bathroom. Find green or gold candles, and make sure that you have a "Blarney Stone" for your guests to kiss on the way in.

Dress
Everyone must wear at least one green item of course! Shamrock shaped head boppers are fun for the kids, as are green eye masks, green face paint, green wigs (all available from party supplies shops on and offline. Also consider green ribbons tied at wrists and in hair, badges that declare "I speak fluent Blarney", and don't forget the "Kiss Me I'm Irish" felt hat!

Food
Use our links page to find recipes for traditional Irish dishes such as Colcannon, Boxty, Irish Stew, Irish soda bread and lots more. You can also have fun with food colouring, turning foods like mashed potato, milk shakes or fairy cakes bright green. Another option is that every dish has something green in it. Broccoli, kiwi fruit, mint, gooseberries, salad, cress, peas, mint ice cream, green sweets etc. Or if you have really fussy eaters make lots of baked potatoes and have a selection of fillings for them to choose from.

Drink
Guinness of course! You can also use a drop of food colouring to make lemonade green for the kids, or beer or white wine green for the adults. End the evening with Irish Coffee.

Music
Traditional Irish folk songs, Celtic harp music, choose whatever suits the mood want for your party. Print out the lyrics to Irish songs that most people know the tune to, like The Irish Rover or Danny Boy and lead the singing. Or bring it bang up to date with Westlife, The Pogues, The Corrs, The Commitments, Enya and U2.

Games

Pin the pot of gold on the end of the rainbow.
Make a big rainbow out of thick paper or thin card, the children will love to help with this. Make a black pot filled with gold or yellow coloured coins. Blindfold each child in turn and get them to pin the pot to the end of the rainbow. Closest to the right spot wins. Use blue tack if you feel it is safer than a pin for little ones.

Musical shamrocks.
Cut out large shamrock shapes from green paper or card. Tape or tack them to the floor. Before you start the music everyone stands on a shamrock. When the music is playing everyone dances around the room, you remove one shamrock and the person who can't find one to stand on when the music stops is out. Repeat until there is only one shamrock left and the winner is the first person to claim it when the music stops.

A treasure hunt for "lucky" lottery tickets can be fun, just hide them around the house, or do the same with gold wrapped chocolate coins. You could arrange an Irish quiz where everyone in turn has to name something Irish, or alternatively something green, until everyone but one is out, or organise a limerick writing competition, the verses to be read out loud in their best Irish accent!

Have fun and don't forget your camera!