Saint Patrick’s Day in popular American culture has been generally boiled down to wearing green or getting pinched. Although this is what many think of when they think March 17th, this is not the only way people celebrate. Some treat the day as a normal one, while others pay homage to the centuries long customs. Here’s how some of our Dubs recognize this day, in a variety of ways.

Whether it’s baking treats for the day or wearing extra green, some North Atlanta students pull out all the stops on March 17th. Senior Estephanie González is the perfect example of one of these students. Every year for the holiday, her family dyes themselves green. This is a tradition that started many years ago for her family as a way to ensure everyone saw they were wearing green. “We definitely get weird looks, but we never get pinched so I would say it all works out,” she said.

Other Warriors are not quite as enthusiastic about the holiday. For those not as accustomed to this Irish tradition, the holiday can be easily looked past. Others simply link lack of knowledge with neglecting the holiday as a whole. “I’ve never celebrated, but maybe I should start because I hate getting pinched every year,” said sophomore Mariah Cherry.

These two Warriors are on two ends of the celebration spectrum, but why does anyone celebrate March 17th? Saint Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, was credited with bringing Christianity to the country of Ireland. On the anniversary of his death, March 17th, Irish people would celebrate his life. As they immigrated to other countries, they brought these celebrations with them. The tradition of wearing green came from Irish patriotism to remind everyone of the pride they had in their home country. This celebration struck a chord with Americans and the holiday has been celebrated ever since.

Whether or not you celebrate St. Patrick’s Day is a tradition that is deeply ingrained in American culture. Wearing green on March 17th is now commonplace in a country across the world from its place of origin. St. Patrick’s Day is now seen as a celebration of bringing the world together, but wearing green is fun too.