HAPPY ST. PATRICK’S DAY 2020!

How prescient was this cover of The New Yorker in 1965?! This must be what the streets of EVERY city look like TODAY!

I feel sort-of frivolous celebrating this whimsical holiday this year, if even just in print, but life must go on, although a much-muted version of the usual.

I love going out on St. Patrick’s Day, and pinching those who choose to not get into the spirit by wearing green, but this year I’ll be celebrating at home with Mr. X. (And yes—he does know enough to go along with it to avoid my claws!)

I hope that all of you will stay in, as well, instead of going to bars, which, apparently, has always been the big thing to do on St. Patty’s. (I’ve even done it on occasion, and I don’t drink!) I know that won’t be tons of fun, but there are still things to do in the house that can make it even a tad special, especially if you’re not alone. (And it appears that most bars across the country will be closed now, anyway. So maybe one of the very few positives of the coronavirus will be that some people will stop drinking altogether!)

Which of these eight nail polishes did I choose for today? (Answer below.) Photo by Karen Salkin.

I already entertained myself this year by painting my nails green, of course. I even narrowed it down to eight different shades of the Irish-associated color to choose from. (There they are, off to the left. Can you figure-out which one I chose this year? The answer will be below. But decide first, just to give you something else trivial to occupy some of your time.)

In a previous year, when I was visiting my little mother in Brooklyn, and we were cozy in the house that day, I just made a little Afternoon Tea with whatever snacks we had on hand, and invited our great friend, Carol Rampino, to join us. It was such fun! Even moreso than going someplace to have that repast in public. I always have several kinds of tea and honey on hand, including in my former home in New York. And I more often than not have some form of little desserts handy, too, like at least cookies. If you want to copy my model, that should be enough of an Afternoon Tea for you to whip-up. (FYI–without finger sandwiches, it’s really called Cream Tea.) But many people have sandwich-making ingredients in the house, as a rule, so just make them small. (No need to go crustless.) And if you have cucumber or watercress in your fridge, all the better—green foods are the order of the day!

Here’s another idea for today–if you know how to cook, and can make it out to a store, (but only for a few minutes, and with rubber gloves on,) you can whip-up some corned beef and cabbage. (But make sure to open the windows—it’s not a pleasant aroma.)

If you have kids, you can always have them make rainbow and leprechaun cards to send to the elderly in retirement homes. I know that the kids and seniors alike would appreciate the experience.

Karen Salkin’s St. Patty’s Day nails! Can you figure-out which polish from above she chose for them? Ready–it’s the thrid one from the right. Photo by Mr. X.

And I’m sure there will be plenty of Ireland-themed old movies on TV today. Try Michael Collins, Once, In The Name of the Father, Darby O’Gill and the Little People, and, of course, The Quiet Man. Actually, anything starring Maureen O’Hara will qualify! Or Saoirse Ronan, for you more modern-day folks.

No matter what, it’s just one day. But we all need an unimportant distraction right now, especially one that involves luck. (I’m not sure why St. Patty’s Day has anything to do with luck, but I believe it involves four-leaf clovers and pots of gold at the ends of rainbows, so I’m happy to feel like it does. We need every little bit of hope that we can get these days!)

I’m ending with an Irish blessing, which is very apropos today:

May the dreams you hold dearest
Be those which come true.
And the kindness you spread
Keep returning to you.

So please keep spreading that kindness, today, during this siege, and for years to come.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day to all of you! (And, to further celebrate, let’s emulate St. Patrick himself, and drive those snakes out [of the White House] this year! That can only help this current crisis!)