Top o’ the morning to you, lads and lasses!
I cannot believe it’s already March! This year has flown by so far. As you surely know, March brings a very special holiday for many, whether they be Irish or just fans of festivities.
This year, Provident would like to help get our customers in the spirit of St. Patrick’s Day by sharing a little history of the holiday and…dun dun dun…giving away some gold!
Patrick (no known last name has been recorded) was born to a British family, rich in theology. At age 16, he was kidnapped by Irish pirates and taken to work in Northern Ireland for six years as a shepherd. During his enslavement, he developed his spiritual life and converted to Christianity. After six years of arduous labor, Patrick heard a voice telling him he was to be delivered from captivity by a ship.
Patrick fled from his captors to find the ship, and he was indeed rescued and returned home. Not long after he returned home, Patrick had a vision in which he believed God told him he needed to return to the land of his captors and share the gospel with those he should abhor.
Obediently, Patrick did return to Northern Ireland and led thousands to Christ. According to historical documents, Patrick used a shamrock to illustrate the Holy Trinity to the pagan Irish people.
Surprisingly, Patrick was never formally canonized by the Catholic church, though, he has been widely regarded as a saint since his death on March 17, 460.
In the late 9th century, St. Patrick’s Day was developed as a way to pay homage to the man who conquered bitterness to spread the gospel. While traditions vary from country to country, St. Patrick’s Day is a well-loved holiday, universally.
In the United States, we employ many cultural stereotypes on St. Patrick’s Day; we use copious amounts of green decorations, shamrocks, leprechauns, and pots o’ gold to show off Irish pride.
While there might not be a connection between St. Patrick and leprechauns and pots of gold, learning their Irish history is interesting. According to Irish lore, the leprechauns found gold left by Viking plunderers when the (to them) giants abandoned their land. To protect their treasure, they would bury their pots of gold. If you could find the end of a rainbow, you would stumble upon the gold. While this is a fun story, science tells us rainbows are actually circles, so good luck searching!
You might not find a pot of gold, but Provident would like to give you the chance to win a gold bar! Simply comment below, and let me know 
how you plan to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. One winner will randomly be chosen on March 17, 2017 to receive a 1 Gram Gold Bar from PAMP Suisse! Comments must be placed by March 16 at 11:59 PM.
Here’s hoping you have the luck of the Irish and enjoy a little bit o’ gold!
Happy Stacking!
-J
I was Born on March 17th! My mother always made me wear green tights (I am a male) lol. As I got older I always felt luck was on my side and not only do I celebrate Saint Patrick’s day but I also celebrate my birthday. Cake is shamrock themed, I where the green hat accompanied by friends and family.
Lots of beer!
Unfortunately, I’m working, but maybe some corned beef for dinner.
I’ll be doing many many math problems.
In years past, I attended an all-male black tie event sponsored by the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick an event which involved, maybe not so surprisingly, the consumption of alcohol, steak and cigars and the speech of some local raconteur or sennachie. However, when my son was in college, he played baseball and the early part of the season was played in California due its warm weather and I would go each year to see him play. That meant I was away for the 17th. The Rules of the Friendly Sons say that if one misses three in a row that person’s membership was terminated. I suspect that if I pled my case that I was supporting my friendly son the organization would excuse my absences, but I have not sought such relief as I didn’t enjoy the event as much after several years. Bottom line is I will not be doing anything specific on that night except perhaps finishing up Leon Uris’s Trinity, a historical fiction book on Ireland in the19th Century. Or perhaps continuing my planning our trip to Ireland in the fall to celebrate my and my wife’s 35th wedding anniversary. In any event, Happy St. Patrick’s Day to all of you at Provident.
I plan on traveling to Ireland for a proper St. Patrick’s Day celebration!
Corn beef and cabbage meal with my family. Not sure about green beer, just regular beer. I’m not Irish but I love the corn beef and cabbage and would be even better if I had a gold bar to look at while eating it..
I’ll be spending the day with my boys at the park, and possibly taking them on their first camping trip. We’ll have a campfire with hotdogs and hamburgers and s’mores. Best weekend you could ask for.
I plan on flying out to Chicago to be with my girlfriend and celebrate St. Patrick’s day with the love of my life. We are going to enjoy walking around the town as they dye the river green. We are going to hit up an irish pub, have a pint of Guinness and enjoy the time we have together. But since we are both Irish we plan to have a lot of fun! We are in a long distance relationship now for almost 2 years and we have spent all but Christmas and St. Patricks day, as far as holiday’s together. So this St. Patrick’s day we will celebrate being Irish but most importantly we will be celebrating it together.
I will go around the corner to my favorite Irish pub and eat corn beef and cabbage. Then a fine Irish ale. Followed by a good Irish brawl.What’s not to love.
After going to church…. I will have my corned beef and Guinness beer with friends to celebrate this St. Patty’s Day!
I am celebrating the old fashioned way. Eating some corned beef and cabbage. And having some green beer by 10AM!
Nice family dinner of Corned Beef & Cabbage and plenty of Guinness.
After going to church…. I will have my corned beef and Guinness beer with friends to celebrate this St. party’s Day!
I am going to stay home, fix a pot of some Irish stew and hope it does not snow here,lol
Probably stop by the local pub for a pint, nothing too crazy.
I plan on being a leprechaun! I just bought my dad a metal detector for christmas last year and we have been giving some time to spend with each other and go on treasure hunts. So maybe this St. Pats ill find something to add to the collection and maybe just maybe add that one gram bar too!
Yes please
Thanks for the history lass, I too enjoy a good tale. If the truth was told, Patrick was actually a Baptist, and not a Catholic at all. Anyway, like all good leprechauns, I’ll be setting at home, counting my gold, and drinking green beer! It would be a pleasure if you were to add to my lot. But if not, a happy St. Patty’s day to you and yours anyway. Here’s to the luck o the Irish!
Unfortuneatly I will be spending the day in search of gold up and down I-5 transporting youth home for home visits, but will be doing so in style repping green and enjoying the willamette valley scenery.
Play with my silver and Gold!
I plan on celebrating St Patrick’s day with my family. Like every year, we will drink green beer and have fun pinching anyone that does not have an article of green clothing on! Always a good time.
Oh, there is nothing like a corn beef an cabbage dinner on St. Patrick’s day. Who knows how this came about?
Usually go and enjoy different Irish whiskey with some friends and in doing so usually make more friends
Wearing the GREEN eating at an Irish Pub and kissing my Pattie as I have for the last 55 years.
I will be working on St. Patrick’s Day, but hopefully my customers do me well so I can buy some gold anyway 🙂 Finally start working on that pot of gold!
I shall be celebrating (Deo Volente) with the bride of my youth at an event featuring traditional Irish music and step dancing, then…
I continue celebrating with my Irish band “Roughly Hewn”, playing at an event. No green beer, no silly hats, just guitar, flute and fiddle (craic agus ceol).
Going to drink a green beer. I hope….
I’m not sure
Have a few beers and fun with friends and hope I have a great mail call that day with some gold and silver…….
I will be spending my St Patrick’s day working and enjoying time with my family in the evening.
St. Patrick’s Day is my birthday; I celebrate by having some Irish whiskey [Jameson] and fondling a bit of gold! Thanks to my Irish mother who “held out” until the 17th and named me Patrick! Obviously 3-17 is my lucky number, I won a few hundred on the lottery playing that number, and the unit I saw combat with was 3-17 Infantry.
I plan to spend St. Patrick’s Day out at the pub with my mates. Happy stacking to you all!