Looking for some extra luck as spring begins?
St. Patrick's Day might be able to help. Taking place on March 17 each year, the Irish holiday is not only full of cultural traditions, but also superstitions. From wearing green to carrying a good luck charm, Irish folklore believes various practices can bring luck on St. Patrick's Day.
Here are five superstitions to try if you want to feel extra lucky this St. Patrick's Day.
Wear green
Wearing green on St. Patrick's Day may be obvious, but did you know the color choice comes from an Irish superstition? Folklore says that wearing green makes you invisible to leprechauns, who like to pinch anyone they can see, according to National Geographic. Additionally, not wearing green on St. Patrick's Day is a sign of bad luck, and it may earn some pinches from major fans of the holiday in addition to those from the leprechauns.
Carry a good luck charm
Carrying a good luck charm on St. Patrick's Day is believed to attract good fortune, according to a blog on the website for the law office of Don McClure, Jr. Lucky charms include horseshoes, which are believed to ward off spirits when hung above doorways, and four-leaf clovers, which are considered extremely lucky because of their rarity, with each leaf representing faith, hope, love and luck.
Drown the shamrock
Reader's Digest explains that it's considered lucky to "drown the shamrock" on St. Patrick's Day, a practice in which one dunks a shamrock into a glass of whiskey, drinks the whiskey and then throws the shamrock over their left shoulder. According to Christine Kinealy, director of Ireland's Great Hunger Institute at Quinnipiac University, legend says St. Patrick himself was the first to dunk a shamrock into a glass of whiskey, though it is highly unlikely he actually did so.
Cut a cross in soda bread
While it is fitting to celebrate St. Patrick's Day by making Irish foods, if you make Irish soda bread, be sure to cut a cross in the top of the loaf. Irish superstition believes the cross lets the devil out, making the bread lucky, says Reader's Digest.
Finish your drink
If you're going to celebrate St. Patrick's Day at a pub, be sure to finish your drink, says Attorney McClure. According to Irish superstition, leaving a drink unfinished at a bar can create bad luck and invite mischief from spirits.