The greatest drinking holiday is almost upon us. It is a time in America where all of us non-Irish pretend to be Irish and celebrate the Irish Holiday of St. Patrick’s Day. But where do the traditions we know and love about this holiday come from? Here are a few St. Patrick’s Day facts to set the record straight. St. Patrick’s drinking season with some fun facts about St. Patty’s Day. It’s an excuse, like many foreign-based holidays, that gives us a legitimate reason to drink an obscene amount of alcohol and act like a hooligan.

Did you know:

1) The Shamrock is made famous because St. Patrick supposedly used it to show the Holy Trinity.

2) St. Patrick’s day is celebrated because… well you guessed it, Saint Patrick is the patron Saint of Ireland. What did he do? He brought Christianity to Ireland.

3) St. Patrick’s Day was made an official “Feast Day” in the early 17^th Century.

4) Saint Patrick’s color is actually blue. Nope, it is not green at all.

5) Saint Patrick’s Day is not always March 17^th. In fact, it was moved in 2008 because it conflicted with Holy Week. (Saints Days cannot conflict with Holy Week).

6) They celebrate St. Patrick’s Day in Korea. Yeah, since 1976 there has been a St. Patrick’s Day celebration put on by the Irish Association of Korea.

7) The band Dropkick Murphy’s play in Boston on St. Patrick’s Day. Nothing to really do with St. Patrick – more the fact that Dropkick is awesome. (Just merely stating facts here.)

8) The first St. Patrick’s Day Parade was not held in Ireland. It was held in Boston.

9) “Drowning Shamrocks” is a term that is used for floating a shamrock in Irish Whiskey while you drink. Why do this? It is supposed to bring you good luck and prosperity for the next year.

Any we missed? Add them in the comments below. Be on the lookout for our official St. Patrick’s Day survivor kit (that post to come later).

-Taters