Over 36 million people in the United States claim some Irish heritage, although tradition tells us that everyone is Irish on St. Patrick’s Day! The holiday originated as the observance of the feast day of the Catholic patron saint but has since grown to include many traditions and symbols of the Emerald Isle as well. Here in Houston, our parade is a city-wide tradition that celebrates all things green and has fun and whimsical floats and attractions. Another Houston tradition is Breen’s Florist – and if you are looking for a way to decorate your home, or send a classic greeting to a Celtic friend, our floral designers have the ideas you need.

Did You Know? St. Patrick was not actually Irish. He was born in Great Britain and came to Ireland as a missionary. He is widely credited with establishing Christianity in the country.

Here is some other fun St. Patrick’s Day facts:

* St. Patrick did not drive snakes out of Ireland, in fact, historians say there were no snakes native to the country at that time. Prior to his missionary work, the population was a largely Celtic druid culture who used snakes in their imagery – and therefore their conversion may have led to the legend of the snakes being expelled.

* The population of Ireland is only 4.6 million. In the United States, Boston and New York City are known to have the greatest concentration of Irish families, dating back to the mass immigration in the 1800’s.

* Although the feast day is still recognized in the Catholic church, the day is more popularly associated with drinking green beer, eating corned beef and cabbage, and the “wearing of the green”. It is considered acceptable to give an affectionate pinch to anyone not wearing green on St. Patrick’s Day.

If you love your own Irish legacy, or you simply love to celebrate this festive holiday, call Breen’s Florist for all the green flowers and plants to dress up your home.