Good Morning Darlings!
Today we have our new friend Kristen aboard to talk to us about hosting a St. Patrick’s Day dinner. Thanks, Kristen!
How to Host a St. Patrick’s Day Dinner
Commemorating the feast of the patron saint of Ireland is now a fun tradition on our shores, with many people holding a St. Patrick’s Day dinner at home as a light get together. This formerly solemn tradition has found new ground as an exciting occasion to have friends and family celebrate the rich traditions of the Irish. Here are a few ideas on how you can host a St. Patrick’s Day Dinner that is fun and beyond the usual:
Try an Irish pub theme. As many who have travelled to Ireland have discovered, visiting one of the pubs while you’re there is part of the whole experience. For a fun, casual get-together, throw a St. Patrick’s Day dinner with an Irish pub theme. Serve Guinness beer, Ireland’s most famous drink, to the adults and chocolate mint shakes for the kids.
St. Patty's Day is for the whole family!
Prepare traditional Irish pub fare like corned beef with cabbage, or lamb stew. Dessert could be mature Irish spiked coffee and chocolate stout cupcakes. Don’t worry; the alcohol will be cooked out of these tasty treats.
Make it all about the food and drinks. If your guests are currently following the ’foodie’ movement all over the world, this is an adventurous opportunity to introduce them to Irish cuisine. Tell guests to bring an open mind and a daring appetite. Start with simple Irish potato soup, then offer fried cabbage, a colcannon (stew) and finish with Irish potato candy.
Corned Beef and Cabbage Is the Way to Go!
Corned Beef and Cabbage Is the Way to Go!
Ask guests to rate their favorites. An easier way to pull this off is to invite friends to a potluck dinner with the boldest Irish recipes they can find and have a food rating night. This removes the need for too much preparation and ensures you don’t have guests looking for a drinking bender, as most St. Patrick’s Day parties are assumed to be.
Celebrate with the kids. As mentioned previously, a St. Patrick’s Day dinner is usually associated with a lot of alcohol and not for children. Change that and have a dinner with the children in mind. Keep them involved by creating a kid-friendly menu. Make green milkshakes, soda bread and chocolate mint cookies for dessert.
Offer all the guests green hats that the kids can decorate for the adults to wear. You could play a Riverdance group contest wherein the children compete and the adults serve as judges. Stage a leprechaun hunt with a prize for the child who finds the leprechaun first. Make children look forward to the holiday with a few activities and food to enjoy.
Things to remember:
Send invitations early. St. Patrick’s Day parties are popular, so send invitations to friends and family about two weeks in advance. Ask them to RSVP so you know the number of people to expect.
Everyone is Irish on St. Patty’s day! Hang four-leaf clover banners, place a pot of chocolate coins, and play Irish music. Ask visitors to come in green and encourage them to wear costumes. Remember that a party is a treat for all the senses, and when you have all these covered, you’ll have a shindig to remember.
Hosting a St. Patrick’s Day Dinner will be fairly easy with these tips in hand. Try these ideas for your dinner and find a jolly good time for everyone!
Author’s Bio:
Kristen works as a freelance writer for Backyard Ocean, an online store for above ground swimming pools, inflatable pool toys, and accessories. This year, she’ll be hosting a Backyard BBQ Bash for St. Patty’s Day.
xoxo, Patti
Today blogging to River Dance!