St. Patrick's Day is a great American holiday. But, why do Americans that are not Irish or have any family descent from Ireland celebrate St. Patrick's Day? The holiday has become very similar to Cinco de Mayo. Cinco de Mayo is a holiday that America created that actually has nothing to do with Mexican culture. St. Patrick's Day isn't necessarily about Ireland, but about Saint Patrick, a Catholic saint. I think it's awesome that everyone from different backgrounds, ethnicities, and nationalities can come together and be Irish for a day. It's pretty awesome to see everyone in green and everyone having a great time.

This St. Patrick's Day, I am looking forward to all the many traditions that Americans have withheld throughout our many celebrations of St. Patrick's Day. Some of my favorites include green beer, green bagels, all green clothing, and shamrocks everywhere. St. Patrick's Day is a time when everyone can come together and just have a grand old time. I am Irish, so I specifically love St. Patrick's Day and being able to share my culture with America. The Irish are great people and I am thankful to be one of them.

Back home in Chicago, my family and I celebrate St. Patrick's Day with an annual family party. We all get together at my uncle's house and a lot of the many traditions I talked about before or a part of this celebration. We talk about old family stories, ancestors from Ireland, and most importantly drink green beer. While I think it's a holiday that includes everyone, Irish and non-Irish people, I think Irish people sometimes find a deeper meeting in the holiday.

Specifically, I love when my family gets together to tell stories about my ancestors from Ireland. It's very interesting because, without their immigration here and their struggles to find work and settle in their homes, I would not be here. Learning about your ancestors and celebrating what makes America so great is what makes St. Patrick's Day so special to me. Now don't get me wrong, all of those customs are awesome and I don't want to go anywhere. But this year, I want to get more in touch with my family's history and fully understand my Irish roots and heritage.

This St. Patrick's Day, I encourage you to do the same! If you're Irish, awesome. You should talk to your family and figure out your family roots and how you got to be where you are whether that's in America or in any other country anywhere around the world. And if you're not Irish, use the state to figure out what makes you amazing and what are the roots of your family's ethnicity and heritage. Ancestry is really cool and being able to give yourself a meaning as to why you're here is pretty fulfilling. I'm very excited for St. Patrick's Day and I hope all of you are too!