You Asked, We Answered: Do You Give Gifts for St. Patrick’s Day? 🤔

When you think of St. Patrick’s Day in the good ‘ol US of A, a flood of images spring to mind: four leaf clovers, Irish flags, fiery-haired leprechauns guarding overflowing pots of gold, city waterways going green, parade floats, pub crawls… towns all over the nation have their own unique ways of celebrating. But when it comes to planning your own St. Patrick’s Day festivities, should giving gifts be part of the occasion?

Gift-giving is a central part of many holidays and special occasions – and though it may seem surprising, St. Patrick’s Day is actually one of them!

In this article we’ll cover everything you need to know about the tradition of giving gifts for St. Patrick’s Day, including:

• Why giving gifts is a traditional part of St. Patrick’s Day (Hint: it goes back over 1000 years!)
• Some fun St. Patrick’s Day and Ireland-themed gifts perfect for all of your loved ones
• And we’ll even touch on some interesting Irish history and folklore along the way – so get ready for lucky pennies, celtic knots, and more!

The History of Giving Gifts for St. Patrick’s Day

St. Paddy’s as we know it today sprang from the traditional Catholic celebration of St. Patrick’s feast day. The patron saint of Ireland, St. Patrick is celebrated for bringing the gift of Christianity to the Irish people over 1500 years ago. In fact, the shamrock is associated with the holiday because it’s said that St. Patrick often used the common 3-leaf variety as a teaching tool to explain the divine mystery of the Holy Trinity.  

Even though St. Patrick’s Day falls during the Christian observance of Lent – during which drinking alcohol and eating meat is generally prohibited – the Irish people would attend mass in the morning and celebrate in the afternoon. By modern standards, traditional St. Patrick’s Feast Day celebrations would not seem that celebratory at all – it wasn’t until St. Patrick’s Day hopped across the pond that it turned into the largely secular party we know today.

Feast day festivities typically involved food (traditional corned beef and cabbage remains a favorite even now), and perhaps some music and dancing. Small gifts were also exchanged during some celebrations – a reminder of St. Patrick’s gift to his homeland.

Today these St. Patrick’s Day celebrations have obviously expanded to include rainbows, green beer, minty milkshakes, and much, much more, but the underlying spirit – coming together with loved ones and celebrating your blessings – has remained the same. That’s why even though the St. Patrick’s Day we know today is very different from its religious origins, giving gifts is still an appropriate way to celebrate.

But what, exactly, makes for a good St. Patrick’s day gift? We’ve got you covered – whether you’re looking for a $5 way to show a friend you’re thinking of them or an elegant way to honor an older family member’s connection to their home country, we’ve pulled together an awesome list of St. Patrick’s Day gift ideas that are sure to impress.

So without further ado, let’s get to it! 🍀