[flerdle]Or tomato juice. Put some Worcestershire sauce into it, and there you go! [ZK]I grew up in Canada and it's popular there too - especially amongst those who may possibly have had an Irish ancestor at some point, or knew someone who once drank a Guinness. The green beer and popcorn the loony lady across the street used to offer everyone, however, still gives me shivers.
[snorgle] Lol. I suspect it really is just such a big deal over here because people want to drink a lot, and Guinness want them to. It's win-win apart from the poor sods who run the police stations and hospitals.
Well, until half past three yesterday afternoon I was going to become a homewoner on friday. Everything was set up, including my sofa being delivered to my boyfriends house (but it wouldn't fit through the dining room door, so is currently blocking the hall and being a huge health and safety risk) and a van and things booked. I'd chosen the white goods I wanted (with a little help from my firnds in the crescent!) And my solicitor has all my money. It was looking hopeful, but then, at approximatly 3.19pm GMT I received a call from the estate agent. There was a SIX WEEK delay! Some silly people up the chain (and as there's only three people involved I would call it more of a link that a chain, but anyway) are emigrating to NZ and have found out that they need to stay resident in the same property for 40 days, or something silly like that. So I can't move, and there's no point me pulling out as I want that house and I'd loose a lot of money having come this far. So I've just got to wait. And sulk. And my state of mind wasn't helped yesterday by my mum telling me that I look awful in my bridesmaid dress for my brother's forthcoming wedding. Hopefully seeing friends tonight and drinking to celebrate St Patrick's Day will help.
[Lib]Sorry to hear it Lib! Is your mother usually so forthright? It's not going to turn into a soap opera, I hope. My father's family wedding always ended up in drunken brawls and being barred from the hotel they were staying in. [ZK]I won't be getting THAT drunk tonight(I hope!).
Breadmaster is right; St Patrick's day, as celebrated these days, is largely an American invention. Americans would do well to realise that on this side of the pond we merely like the Irish, but don't worship them.
Just to shove my oar in for a moment... British food and drink outlets seem to go loopy every St Patrick's Day, and I must concur with Rosie and Breadmaster's opinion that it's the US influence that fuels this. On the other side of the coin, I went into my local Tesco outlet (and it's the major one for the area) at the end of February to see what I could get to celebrate St David's Day (what with having Welsh ancestry). I was laughed at by staff. When I suggested that, surely, the massive efforts poured into their St Patrick's Day marketing might indicate a degree of 'racial bias' (I stopped short of institutional racism!), I was told "Well, you can buy a daffodil or a leek." I would have replied, but the manager had lost interest and walked away.
Well, there is always plenty of stuff available in Wales to celebrate it, but then Welsh cakes, although nice, aren't as exciting as Guiness, for most people. I think although it's definitely commercial - no-one really minds an excuse to drink and eat, just like at Christmas and Easter.
Right. My ambition now is to plan the mass-marketing off the back of St. David's Day. St. George's Day needs no help, in Clinton's at least, and I suspect is fuelled quite nicely by the football industry.
Guinness USA certainly capitalises on St Patrick's Day over here -- they've shown quite a few ads on TV here equating St Patrick's to Christmas, with everyone getting cases and kegs of Guinness and Harp....
[Nik] If St George had been asked what his birthday was, would he reply, "Nik's birthday"? (NB Nik's email address removed by request -- rab)
[ZK] I'd help you with the American marketing of St David's Day, but most Americans wouldn't know a Welshman if he came up and shoved a leek up their collective arses. ;) See also Church, Charlotte, meeting George W. Bush
[HB] Nowt Welsh at all, I'm sorry to say. Although I have tried and dislike laver bread, I would have bought any (or all) of the other items that you mentioned. I would also like to mention that difficulty my Irish father-in-law suffers in trying to find me a St David's Day card, on the back of my always sending him a St Patrick's Day card. Sceptics, note - he managed it once, so such cards do exist!