Why Is St.Patrick's Day So Big In America?

[Scummer]

I've always been curious as to why this is.
It's an Irish celebration that seems to have become a day for Americans to dress up in green and decorate everything with shamrock rather than a Religious Irish Holiday.

I'm not sure why this is. No offence to Americans but there seems to be a massive fad about everybody claiming to be Irish. More people claim have Irish blood in America than there are Irish people in Ireland, so there obviously a lot of people BS'ing.

I'm probably over reacting, but it just seems kinda odd.

[Landin55]

Its an excuse to relax and party after a hard working day. Nuff said.

[Theodon]

I've never heard of many Irish people complaining about other cultures enjoying theirs. Where is this complaint coming from?

[Deleted]

Yeah, seems very odd. I notice a lot of people from the USA label themselves as Irish-American, African-American, Italian-American ETC, even if they have never lived in the places they claim to be a member of.

[Landin55]

Yeah, seems very odd. I notice a lot of people from the USA label themselves as Irish-American, African-American, Italian-American ETC, even if they have never lived in the places they claim to be a member of.

I don't do that =/, but also I'm a mixing pot of European ancestry so yeah.

[Youarefired]

Actually, there is a lot more people in America with Irish roots than Ireland.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ijs-S4g4eCs

[Deleted]

Actually, there is a lot more people in America with Irish blood than Ireland.

But can they really call themselves Irish if they have never lived there?

[herpecin]

there are many irish people in america, especially in new york.

but more importantly we will use any excuse to drink. just look at cinco de mayo, its not mexican independence day its just some battle that the mexican army won and its not even celebrated in mexico.

[Youarefired]

But can they really call themselves Irish if they have never lived there?

Why do black people call themselves African American's if they've never lived in Africa?

Also, many white people are born in Africa and are literally true Afircan Americans. So that term makes no sense to me when it refers JUST to black people.

[Deleted]

I think it has to do mainly with most Americans forsaking their European roots.
White americans have no history of their own since they havent been there long, the patriotism for the new home they made over there allows em to cherry pick the "cool" things from europe, and also remember their ancestry every once in a while.
Are there many Irish , half-Irish, 1/4 Irish in the states? You bet
Quite alot might just be of Germanic,Nordic or Celtic desent and just say they are Irish cause it sounds cooler.
Other than that I dunno

[Spectral]

I'm not sure why this is. No offence to Americans but there seems to be a massive fad about everybody claiming to be Irish. More people claim have Irish blood in America than there are Irish people in Ireland, so there obviously a lot of people BS'ing.

The population of Ireland is ~6.4 million. There are 36 million Americans with Irish ancestry. So, no, it's not fraud, it's American diversity.

Irish-Americans have been hugely culturally important to the US, particularly in the Northeast, and have kept a ton of fun traditions and cultural experiences around. I don't see how it's negative in any way.

[Deleted]

Why do black people call themselves African American's if they've never lived in Africa?

Thats dumb too, in the UK they would just be Black british.

[Synaxis]

But can they really call themselves Irish if they have never lived there?

I do, no question. I'm proud of my Irish blood.. My dad wants to go to Ireland to see where our ancestors are from - County Galway - and if I didn't have a little fear of flying I'd be all over that idea, too..

[Spectral]

But can they really call themselves Irish if they have never lived there?

You can call them Irish-Americans or Americans with Irish ancestry. My last set of immigrants in my family came to the US over 100 years ago, and I still identify myself as a German-American (although it's only about 75% of my family).

[Wreckeded]

Somone could pick a random day, call is national drinking day and it would be big.

[starlord]

because its nicely placed between valentines day & easter.

[Beavis]

A day where it is culturally acceptable to get blasted out of your gourd in broad daylight in public on a weekday? I can't think of any reasons why that would be popular.

[Elyssia]

Just an excuse to drink and blend in and interact...
just confused how a holiday celebrating religious intolerance would catch on anywhere in this day and age...
but then again alot of american's are very catholic also... so i guess it fits.

[Deleted]

No doubt the Romans knocked up a few of my ancestors, but I can not claim to be Roman.

[godofslack]

Because people will find any excuse to get drunk and have fun. Why do we have Christmas, Halloween, Valentine's Day parties when getting drunk with friends isn't an aspect of those celebrations?