Do shamrocks and four leaf clovers confuse you a bit?
Yeah!
Me too!
Sometimes, we get a bit confused regarding the differences between shamrocks and four leaf clovers!
I believe it has to do with thinking of luck and the four leaf clover, which are synonymous.
The four leaf clover filtrated it’s way into the celebration of St. Patrick’s Day …most likely because of the pot of gold references.
Actually, the shamrock…which has 3 leaves, can be found growing wild throughout Ireland. It is worn on the feast day of St. Patrick, 17th March, to represent a link with Saint Patrick, the Bishop who spread the Christian message in Ireland.
There are many legends regarding St. Patrick and most agree on one thing.
He was a man of prayer.
Saint Patrick’s prayer life began when at the age of 16, he was abducted and taken into Irish slavery. After 6 years, he escaped his captors, giving credit and thanks to God for his escape, and he vowed to become a missionary to Ireland.
It is said Saint Patrick used the three leaved Shamrock to explain the concept of the Holy Trinity, (the Father, Son and Holy Spirit), to the pagan Irish during the 5th Century.
The tradition of wearing Shamrocks on Saint Patrick’s Day can be traced back to the early 1700’s, which symbolized national pride, religion as well as the history of the Irish people.
Later, the color green became a replacement for shamrocks if none were to be found.
And much later, St. Patrick’s Day became a day of celebration, wearin’ o tha green, parades and making everything green including the Chicago River which is dyed a bright green a few days before St. Patrick’s Day.
A boat dumps in an environmentally safe orange powder into the river and other boats race up and down the river “mixing-it-up”!
If you have never seen this beautiful bright green river, you are really missing out.
Here in Florida, no one attempts to dye any of our rivers or the gulf of Mexico green. 🙂
Which brings me to another St. Patrick’s Day Tablescape to share again with you.
I started with a green plaid tablecloth.
The centerpiece is a green top hat adorned with shamrocks. I put faux shamrocks in the top of the hat.
On one side of the top hat is a red-headed leprechaun guarding his pot of gold……(any resemblance to me is purely co-incidental !!) 😉
…..and on the other side of the top hat is a large white bunny toting lots of gold coins which have fallen out of his basket. I gave him a green plaid ribbon for the occasion.
I just love his cute little face! This bunny shows up in several of my tablescapes, I simply change the color of his ribbon.
It is almost like the Easter Bunny wanted to help St. Patrick. 🙂 Plus, I just love Spring bunnies in Spring Tablescapes.
The place setting has a white-washed rope charger beneath a square green dinner plate.
A square white salad plate holds a round soup bowl. The flatware is green and silver.
The water glasses have shamrocks surrounding the glass and a faceted beer mug sits at the ready for whatever drink the guests would like.
The green plaid napkins sport white rope napkin rings, which ties in with the white-washed rope chargers.
As you know, I love to play with dishes and if you missed the St. Patrick’s Tablescape “Falling For Fairies And Leprechauns” from a year ago….click here.
Or perhaps you missed the “Everybody is Irish On St. Patrick’s Day” post, if so click here.
Have a great day!!!
I apologize for the pictures…the light was leaving as it was a little late in the day when I took the pics. I would give you sources for all the tablescape items, but all are from many years ago. The little leprechaun has been around for at least 20 years. The water glasses are from the dollar store several years ago.
Hugs and Blessings.
I live in Tampa Florida and they dye a part of the Hillsborough River that runs through downtown green – it looks so pretty but it gets swept away pretty quickly. I love all of your tablescapes like you I find great joy in sitting a beautiful table.
thank you Janet and thanks for checking out my tablescapes.
Living in the Cape, we make it up to Tampa occasionally and when family was here a couple weeks ago, they flew in on Allegiant. We usually pick them up in Punta Gorda but they came into Clearwater, PIE.
I would like to see your “green” river sometime. 🙂 To my knowledge, no one has ever tried to dye the Caloosahatchee River that divides the Cape from Ft Myers. ;(
I guess I am just a kid at heart because I never tire of playing with dishes. Thanks for stopping by.
Very cute Kari, and I enjoyed the history lesson too! How does the saying go, “everyone’s a little Irish on St. Patrick’s Day…”
Jenna
so true Jenna…people do tend to jump on the bandwagon….whether it be a claim to be Irish or a winning sports team or claiming they are Indian. LOL .
My late husband was a card carrying Seminole Indian. His degree of Indian blood was 1/2, which he was very proud of. The tribe based in Wewoka, Okla (after the Trail of Tears, they settled there) does not recognize anyone with anything less than 1/4 degree of Indian Blood. My late husband had a great sense of humor and he called people claiming they were Indian, Apples. Red on the outside and white on the inside. LOL
We will never get away from people claiming to be Irish ( my background is Scotch/Irish)….and that makes for a fun St. Patrick’s Day. It is all in good fun and what a wonderful and colorful day of good eats. Are you planning a get together too?
That is really interesting, and I have enjoyed watching Warren squirm and apologize…St. Pat’s Day is my granddaughter’s birthday so we will be celebrating with them ☘️
I hear ya! Me too!! Who can even compute her degree of Indian blood? I think she is still trying to ingratiate herself with the Cherokee Native Americans.
What a great day to have a birthday. Happy early birthday to your grand daughter!
Thanks again dear friend for stopping by.
Thanks for sharing the history of shamrocks! Very pretty and festive tablescape! ☘️
Thanks Tammy….I thought the Old Curiosity dinnerware fit nicely with St. Patrick’s Day although it was not originally intended for that use. 🙂 Thanks for stopping by.