When Two Special Days Collide, Disaster Ensues

For those of you who are, or pretend to be, Irish, you’ll no doubt be well aware that today is St. Patrick’s Day. It is clear that St. Patrick’s Day is the most important day on the calendar. It is the time to celebrate Irishness by eating Irish stew and drinking Irish Whiskey and Guinness. No matter how many of you may think so, it is not the time to drink green beer. St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated on March 17th as that was the date of St. Patrick’s death in 461. Now, think about how you feel the day after St. Patrick’s Day. If you’ve done it right, not so good. Hold that thought for just a moment.

Mothering Sunday, commonly called "Mothers' Day" in the United Kingdom, has no direct connection to the Canadian practice of Mother’s Day. Instead, it falls on the fourth Sunday of Lent (exactly three weeks before Easter Sunday) and, this year at least, exactly one day after St. Patrick’s Day. It is believed to have originated from the 16th Century Christian practice of visiting one's mother church annually, which meant that most mothers would be reunited with their children on that day.

So, putting these two special days together, you are virtually compelled to incur the most massive hangover of the year the one day and promptly follow that up with a visit to Mum the next. A surefire recipe for disaster.

Thankfully, Canada has sorted this out and has Mother’s Day much later in the year so St. Patrick’s Day can be fully enjoyed by all. This post then is really by way of explanation to my Mum as to why she'll be getting her Mother’s Day present in May. Just like always.

Finally, Beth and I are on our way out now to continue a tradition started when I was 19. That is, Guinness on St. Patrick’s Day. I have had at least one Guinness on every St. Patrick’s Day for the last 15 years. It is, I think, the longest I have ever kept on doing anything. Good for me.

Slainte