Do you know why my kids all own bright green shirts, some even with shamrocks on them? Do you know why we watch extensive YouTube videos about the history of the holiday every single year? Do you know why I know that St. Patrick's Day is on March 17th every single year? Do you know why we entertain rainbows, gold, and glitter green for the month of March? Do you know why I wake up earlier to stamp green feet on our toilet and put green food coloring into our toilet?
As a kid growing up with an immigrant mom who had just made her way to America in the early 80s, I was never well equipped for St. Patrick's Day at school. Sure, the teachers were kind and would give me a green shamrock sticker, but for the rest of the day, I was labeled as the kid who didn't know it was the day to wear green, a badge of shame and embarrassment and to me, being the dumb Chinese kid who didn't know any better. I hated St. Patrick's Day. I hated how everyone else had green. I hated how even if I had known, I wouldn't have had any green pieces of clothing. I hated how the one year I was prepared, everyone said my "green" sweater was actually grey.
And so I vowed, at a young age, that my kids would own at least one BRIGHT GREEN piece of clothing. That they would NEVER endure the ridicule of pinches and not wearing green. Of course now, with today's world, there's so much sensitivity around not bullying other kids, so I'll also teach my kids to be kind to others not wearing green. To tolerate that the grey shirt they thought was green, is indeed green. To respect the shamrock stickers some kids have. And to have fun with the leprechauns, the pots of gold, and green food.
St. Patrick's Day is Saturday people. It's time to get ready.
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