St. Patrick’s day is a celebration of Irish culture, and people celebrate with parades, food and music. For many high school students, wearing green on St. Patrick’s day is how they celebrate the holiday. In addition to the festivities, some students like senior Ellie Metzger celebrate with family traditions.

     “My dad’s side did used to live in Ireland, so we are pretty big St. Patrick’s day fans,” Metzger said. “We actually celebrated it a lot more back when my grandma was living. We used to always go out every night, it was like this whole bit. She would sprinkle green glitter in our yard, it was more kind of a thing when my sister and I were little.”

     For Metzger, St. Patrick’s day was a family event, and her grandma got really into the holiday. 

     “My grandma, she kind of trashed the house, not in a weird sense, but like how the leprechaun did it in a classroom,” Metzger said. “We would always just get a bite to eat, and she would make it her whole personality trait that she was half Irish.”

     While Metzger’s family does not have the same celebrations like they did when she was younger, her family still plans on doing something for the holiday this year.

     “We’ll still like get some food, go out to eat,” Mezger said. “Got to celebrate that Irish heritage.”

     Like Metzger, junior Kate Mouser also has some memories from when she was younger of some of the activities that she did to celebrate the holiday. 

     “In elementary school, my mom would take us [Mouser and her siblings] out of class and we would go to the St. Patrick’s day parade,” Mouser said. 

     This St. Patrick’s day, many students like Mouser will be wearing green. This is because of a tradition that happens on St.Patrick’s day where those who do not wear green get pinched.

     “Sometimes [I pinch] my friends,” Mouser said. “Not like random people.”

     While Mouser will not be attending the St. Patrick’s day parade this year, she plans to do something for the holiday as well.

     “I’ll wear green,” Mouser said. “My mom will probably make us some Irish food.”

     Similar to other students, sophomore Avery Stein celebrated St. Patrick’s day more when she was younger. Now, her family does not do as much as they did in the past.

     “My Aunt would dress up as a leprechaun and come scare us when we were little,” Stein said.

     However, this year, to celebrate St. Patrick’s day, Stein still plans to wear green because she does not want to get pinched, and she also plans to celebrate with her family.

     “We might go out to dinner,” Stein said. “Usually we get some dessert.”