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California and America celebrates St. Patrick’ Day in a Big Way! With St. Patrick’s Day Parades in San Francisco, San Diego, Sacramento, Hermosa Beach, Dublin, Murphys, Ventura and Visalia, there’s no shortage of fun in 2018, when the Irish holiday falls on a Saturday.

Each year around St. Patrick’s Day I remember my grandpa, Lee. Maybe it’s because he was…
Part Irish (the other part Cherokee)
Preferred Scotch whiskey (hands shook if he went too long without a drink)
Was a potato farmer (sharecrop) in the early years
Was thin — he stood about 5’8″ tall
Had beautiful, black hair and piercing, blue eyes
Dressed in bib overalls (for every occasion)
Rolled his own cigarettes
Was missing some teeth
Always had a smile — and was known for his jokes

If you have some special Irish moments and memories, send ’em and I’ll share them.

St. Patrick’s Day Statistics

(National Retail Federation)

• 43% of US population celebrated St. Patrick’s Day last year
• Consumers spent the most ever on the holiday, averaging $40 per celebrant
• $5.3 billion spent on holiday 2017
• 82% of celebrants wear green
• 27.5% attend party at bar or restaurant
• Age 25-54 are top spenders | then age 18-24 | age 55+ spend least

Most popular purchases

• Food 52%
• Beverage 41%
• Apparel 28%
• Decoration 22%
• Candy 14%

St. Patrick’s Shopping 2018

Party City appears to be the #1 favorite for many St. Patrick’s Day party items and a coupon code of $2 shipping, no minimum as of this posting.

• Costumes, t-shirts, beads and jewelry
• Hats, headbands and headwear starting at $1. A plaid fedora hat is $9 ($14 on Amazon.)
• Ties, suspenders, kilts, socks and leggings
• Decorations, balloons
• Parade float supplies
• Tableware, drinkware, party favors
• Baking supplies, candy buffet by color
• Personalized cups, coasters and coozies starting at $34