Sober, Fun & Responsible Things To Do On St Patrick’s Day
It’s no secret that, on St. Patrick’s Day, people like to drink. A lot. In fact, the true meaning of the holiday is often lost — it marks the death of Ireland’s patron saint, Saint Patrick — amid the booze and green beer that’s also floating around.
This year, though, you can take a sober stand on March 17th, opting instead to partake in festive activities that don’t require you to imbibe at all. Peruse the following XX ideas to get your planning in motion so that, when the big day rolls around, you’ll be ready to celebrate in the best way for you.
Mocktails
If you plan on socializing on St. Patrick’s Day, it might be hard to watch your friends and family sip on alcoholic beverages without drinking one yourself. That’s why we suggest that you whip up at least one tasty mocktail to celebrate in your own, alcohol-free way. You won’t be disappointed by all of the recipes on the web, which range from a homemade Shamrock shake, to a party punch livened up with rainbow sherbet, to a mocktail mojito. Having a festive beverage will allow you to drink in peace, too — partygoers love to ask why you aren’t partaking, too.
Channel the Luck of the Irish
Rainbows lead to pots of gold — why shouldn’t you have your share this St. Patrick’s Day? It might not be a traditionally festive idea, but gambling on March 17th makes sense if you believe it’s a lucky day. Find a casino in your city or its surrounds and head out in your greenest gear to ensure that you’re channeling all of the holiday’s good vibes. If you want to increase your chances of taking home the gold, try playing a game that’s known for having good odds. As an added bonus, remaining clear-headed and booze-free will probably make you a more responsible gambler, too.
Bake an Irish Feast
Drinking is certainly one way to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, but let’s not forget the food. You can start using St. Patrick’s Day as an excuse to whip up some of the classic dishes that come from the Emerald Isle. You’ll be surprised at just how hearty and delicious some of them can be, too: thick slices of soda bread will sop up what your fork can’t handle after digging into shepherd’s pie. Then, end the night with an Irish chocolate potato cake that’ll make you so glad that you’re eating your calories instead of drinking them. Yum.
Celebrate in Good Company
Let’s face it: you might still be inclined to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with friends who don’t have the same intentions of staying sober. That’s fine, and you shouldn’t feel like it’s impossible to survive the day without sipping yourself: in fact, many have done so before you and have lived to share tips on how it’s done. However, in order to make your sober celebration as successful as possible, we suggest hanging out with others who don’t really have the desire to drink on March 17th. Even if you go places where there will be drinking, you’ll have the support of someone else who isn’t interested either. You’ll both feel accomplished at the end of the night when you’ve made it through together.
Sober St. Patrick’s Day parties in cities around the world: soberstpatricksday.org/
AA meetings in Bay Area: aasf.org/meetingsBrowse.cfm
AA meetings in NYC: www.nyintergroup.org/meetinglist/meetinglist.cfm
Host Your Own Shindig
Finally, if you want to be in complete control of your St. Patrick’s Day celebration, then be in complete control of your St. Patrick’s Day celebration. Tell your friends and family that it’s a booze-free affair, unless you feel strong enough to have it be BYOB. Then, get super festive with the snacks, decor and activities… the possibilities are truly endless with the holiday’s many symbols and colors. All that matters is that you have fun and feel good about that fun the next day, which you will. Happy St. Patrick’s Day!
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