Rest Day (Something Other Than Stocks) - St. Patrick's Day

The holiday was more of an American event from the very start. In fact, the first St. Patrick's Day parade took place in New York City on March 17, 1762. Irish soldiers serving in the British colonial army staged a parade celebrating their heritage.

In Ireland St. Patrick's feast day was a time to attend church and celebrate in low-key manner. Corned beef and cabbage was the traditional meal—the prohibition against eating meat during Lent was suspended for the day.



The Celebration:

41.5 billion & 2.5 billion
U.S. beef and cabbage production, respectively, in pounds, in 2004. Corned beef and cabbage is a traditional St. Patrick’s Day dish. The corned beef celebrants dine on may very well have originated in Texas, which produced 7.3 billion pounds worth of beef, while the cabbage most likely came from California, which produced 558 million pounds worth.

21.6
The number of gallons of beer consumed per capita by Americans annually in 2003. On St. Patrick’s Day, you may be able to order green-dyed beer at one of the nation’s 48,050 drinking places, some of which may be Irish pubs.

389
Number of breweries in 2003. The nation’s breweries are the source for the domestic beer that is often an integral part of St. Patty’s Day celebrations.

$75 million
Value of potted florist chrysanthemum sales at wholesale in 2004. Lime green chrysanthemums are often requested for St. Patrick’s Day celebrations.

8 million
Number of St. Patrick’s Day cards Americans exchanged last year, making this observance the ninth-largest card-sending occasion in the United States.

93.3 million
Number of people who reportedly planned to wear green last St. Patrick’s Day.

RELATED POSTINGS:
REST DAY (SOMETHING OTHER THAN STOCKS) - LANCE ARMSTRONG & SHERYL CROW CALL IT SPLITS
REST DAY (SOMETHING OTHER THAN STOCKS) - TOUR DE FRANCE