Top o’ the morning! It doesn’t matter where you’re from, because on March 17, everyone’s a little bit Irish. People look forward to the St. Patrick’s Day celebrations, and we here at KaBloom totally get it, because we’re in Boston, and Boston sure knows how to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day and pass along a little extra luck and cheer. But what’s the best part of it all? Leprechauns, or maybe those large green top hats? How about flowers? They’re just as important to the look and the history of the holiday, and we should know, since we love flowers!
St. Patrick’s Day started out as the feast of the patron saint of Ireland, who helped spread Christianity throughout the country. As time has gone on, certain flowers have been associated with the holiday, some you might or might not know! One of the lesser-known ones is the Bells of Ireland flower. You’ve probably seen them before; they are a tall column of green flowers that look like bells, just like their name sounds. The flowers symbolize good luck, and Saint Patrick’s Day is all about luck and good fortune! No St. Patrick’s Day celebration is complete without green carnations! We prefer selecting the naturally green toned Carnations rather than the dyed, but either is a fun festive addition to the holiday. The white Carnation, is a symbol of good luck, so it’s no wonder why they’re a staple in the celebrations. As the holiday started as a religious celebration, it also makes sense that the Carnation, which Christianity says sprouted from the Virgin Mary’s tears after her son’s death, are so popular during this time.
The most common plant of the holiday is definitely the Shamrock. For centuries, the Shamrock was an important symbol in many cultures. The number three was considered a mystical number to the Ancient Celtics, so they saw this three-leaved plant as a symbol of it. When Saint Patrick spread Christianity through Ireland, he used the Shamrock to symbolize the Holy Trinity. There are even rumors that the Shamrock can help snake bites, which seems too much of a coincidence that the legend of Saint Patrick says he drove the snakes from Ireland! Legend also says that Shamrocks would help counteract a Leprechaun’s mischievous magic if you caught one. The four-leaf clover is, of course, a great symbol of good luck because they’re so rare. Children in the Middle Ages believed that finding a four-leaf clover would lead them to finding magical fairies, which became a popular game. The rolling hills of Ireland are supposedly covered in them, which is where the phrase “the luck of the Irish” comes from. But watch out if you find one with five or more leaves. Even though they’re rare, too, they’re the unlucky ones!
There’s always so much behind history and the littlest things in everyday life. Next time you’re trying to find the luck of the Irish for yourself, maybe you get one of these flowers to help you. And you never know if its luck will help you find a Leprechaun’s pot of gold. Stay tuned for more updates!
