Being half Irish I'm a bit familiar with St. Patrick's Day parties. Maybe a little TOO familiar. Familiar enough to know the 'secret' to a successful St. Paddy's Day party is to keep the drinks flowing! LOL
invitations
I saw a pop up invitation I really liked but I wasn't spending $11 per invitation for it! So I made my own - that cost under $3 each to make...
I used 2 shades of green construction paper, black construction paper, orange construction paper, regular white computer card stock and mini wood horseshoes that I painted gold. The party information gets written on the white card stock rectangle pieces glued to all sides of the invitation.
I no longer have the template I used and it was fairly complicated but at right is an easier example you can use to make a pop up invitation.
staging & props
I kept things simple, using St. Patrick's Day party items I already had on hand and had some upbeat Irish music playing as guests arrived.
food/menu
CORNED BEEF & CABBAGE Recipe here
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IRISH SODA BREAD Recipe here
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IRISH CHAMP Recipe here
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ST. PATRICK'S DAY DEVILED EGGS Recipe:
Boil your eggs, peel the shell off, slice in half.
Remove the egg yolks and mix them with mayonnaise, mustard, and a few drops of green food coloring.
Spoon the mixture back into the egg whites.
Garnish with parsley or chives and serve.
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PARTY MIX: Pretzels, green M&M's, popcorn, roasted peanuts.
Mix together and serve.
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GREEN BEER Recipe: Just add green food coloring to your favorite beer.
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ST. PATTY'S DAY PARFAIT Recipe here
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UNICORN POOP CANDY Make your own, recipes here
activities
CHASE THE RAINBOW
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Do your guests have the luck of the Irish?
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This is a simple but fun dice game you can get here.
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You'll also need a big bag or 2 of Skittles candy.
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Give each player the same number of Skittles.
I used 15 Skittles per guest but you can use any number you wish.
The object of the game is for the players to try to keep all of their Skittles.
Each player rolls the die and then do what the number on the card says, according to what number they rolled.
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The person left with all (or most of) their Skittles wins the game.
CATCH A LEPRECHAUN
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You'll need these little guys (or you can use green ping pong balls), a bucket and 2 books of about the same size.
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This game is played in teams of two. Players must bat a little leprechaun (or a green ping pong ball) back and forth across the room using only the books to drop it in the pot. If they drop it on their way to the pot or around the pot as they’re trying to drop it in, they must go back to the beginning and try to catch their leprechaun again.
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If you’re playing with younger kids, feel free to just let them pick it up and start where they dropped it.
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First team to successfully land the leprechaun in the pot wins.
FOUR LEAF CLOVER HUNT
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Fill 10 little Dixie cups per team playing with a non-clear liquid of some sort, Lucky Charms cereal, or something else that says “St. Patrick’s Day.”
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On the bottom of one little Dixie cup (per team, so if you have five teams = 5 cups), put a 4-leaf clover sticker. Don’t put anything on the others. Line all of the cups up in a group on one table before the game.
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How to Play:
Players must pick one cup and eat/drink the contents in it then look at the bottom of the cup to see if they found a 4-leaf clover. If they didn’t, they must continue picking and consuming cup contents until they’ve found one.
First player to find a four-leaf clover wins!
POT O GOLD
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Tape a large (like 6’x6′) square on the ground. In the middle of the square, place a large pot.
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How to Play:
Players must stand outside of the square and attempt to bounce plastic gold coins to land them in the pot.
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I recommend using different colored coins for each team playing but if not, just make sure to pay close attention to see whose coin actually lands in the pot.
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The first person to land three coins in the pot wins. Players have to remain outside of the square at all times or else their bounces don’t count.
ST. PATRICK'S DAY TRIVIA
Do you know the real name of the Blarney Stone or what you find at the end of the rainbow? These fun St. Patrick’s Day trivia questions are perfect for a party, a fun St. Patrick’s Day activity at school, or even for asking to your family at home!
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There are so many ways to use this fun St. Patrick’s Day trivia game no matter the age of the players!
CATCH AN IRISH FESTIVAL AND/OR A SHOW OF IRISH DANCERS
During one St. Patty's Day party when I still lived down south, we all began the party at Milwaukee's Irish Fest where the Glencastle Irish Dancers were performing. We continued the party at my house.