St. Patrick’s Day, which has its roots in Ireland, is a celebration of Christianity on March 17 that is spent in church and with family. The wearing of the green, parade viewing, and consumption of corned beef and cabbage became the main celebrations once the Irish immigrated to the US and Canada. St. Patrick’s Day is observed by nations all over the world, demonstrating that you don’t need to be Irish to enjoy the celebration. These ten enjoyable ideas can help you and your family enjoy St. Patrick’s Day.

Develop a leprechaun. Make a Leprechaun face to adorn a terracotta pot. Combine the shamrock seeds with the dirt in the pot. Watch the Leprechaun’s “hair” grow by placing the pot in a sunny spot.

Together, watch Irish films. Consider reading “The Magical Legend of the Leprechauns,” “The Secret of Roan Inish,” or “The Luck of the Irish.”

Lead an eco-friendly existence. Teach your kids how their actions can benefit the environment during this “green” month. Shorten your showers to conserve water, turn off electronics when not in use to save electricity, and wherever practical, choose to walk rather than drive.

Brew Soda Bread in Ireland. In a bowl, mix together 4 cups flour, 4 tablespoons white sugar, 1 tsp baking soda, 1 tsp baking powder, ½ tsp salt, and ½ cup softened margarine. Mix thoroughly after adding 1 cup of buttermilk, 1 egg, and 1 cup of optional raisins. Work the dough into a ball by slightly kneading it. Transfer to a baking sheet. Slice a “X” in the top of the bread and dab with one egg white. Bake at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) for 45 to 50 minutes.

Have a nightly visit from the Leprechaun as you sleep. The Leprechaun, like the Elf on the Shelf, visits every night to perform naughty tasks like hiding the remote or emptying the tissue box. Consider having the kids construct leprechaun traps! See our Facebook page, @SanDiegoFamilyMagazine, and Instagram for information about our kid-focused leprechaun trap contest!

Even if you are not Irish, you should still study your family history. See how far back in time you can trace your family’s history by starting with a free trial on Ancestry.com.

Bake cupcakes with rainbow colors. As instructed, prepare a box of white cake mix. Pour the batter into each of the six bowls in equal proportions. To create batter that is yellow, orange, red, green, blue, and purple, add food coloring to each bowl. Fill a muffin tray that has been prepared with equal portions of the colored batter. Don’t combine. Bake according to recipe. To symbolize the gold at the end of the rainbow, decorate with green royal icing and yellow small chocolate candies.

Every night, include a green vegetable in your supper menu. Try green beans, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, peas, spinach, asparagus, and cucumbers. Remind your children that you have prepared some of their favorite dishes and that leprechauns adore all things green. It works wonders to encourage kids to try different vegetables. Give a chocolate gold coin chaser to really finicky eaters as a thank you for trying.

Create green blossoms. Purchase a white carnation bouquet. Pour some water into a vase and add a few drops of green food coloring. Before putting the flower stems in the vase, make a fresh cut in the bottom of each one. Observe how the green food coloring gradually reaches the white flower’s stem and turns its petals green.

Let someone else benefit from your blessings. Even though the December holidays are passed, charitable donations and volunteers are still desperately needed. Make use of the skills and time your family has to give back to the community.