If you’ve been around for a little bit, you know I look forward to every holiday. I love being able to celebrate and gather together, especially if there is a theme. If there isn’t a holiday to base my gatherings on, I create a fun theme. In the past, I’ve done “Under the Sea” and served seafood. I’ve been described as “extra” but I like to think of it as adding a fun flair. The themed dinners are always a big hit. Lucky for me, St. Patrick’s Day is right around the corner and I can coordinate my recipes, decor, and kid’s crafts around the holiday.
If you are looking for inspiration, you’re in luck and reached your pot of gold. I am sharing a few ways my family is celebrating this St. Patrick’s Day and we’d love to see how you’re celebrating. Share your images with us on social media using #SharpHome.
Create an Irish-themed Menu
Food is the most important part of any celebration. Food can make or break an event so the menu becomes my main priority, especially on a holiday. I think about the menu all day and night in the days leading up to the event. Even if I am just celebrating at home with my husband and kids, I want to make sure that they have a special day filled with holiday-themed foods.
This year for St. Patrick’s Day I created a menu with Irish classics and Irish-inspired dishes. I usually keep my menu a surprise until the day of, but I am so excited this year that I have to share it early with you. So what am I making this year for St. Patrick’s Day? I’m glad you asked…
I am starting the day with green pancakes! Pancakes are an easy go-to breakfast in my house. To make this breakfast festive, I add green food coloring to the pancake mix. I add whipped cream and rainbow sprinkles to my green pancakes for extra fun! This breakfast is delicious and the kids get a kick out of having colored pancakes!
When the kids come home from school, I have Irish Soda Bread ready for them to snack on. I am cooking this Irish Soda Bread recipe from Woman’s Day in my Sharp Stainless Steel European Convection Built-In Single Wall Oven. I usually make 2 loaves because my kids will devour the entire thing and not leave a crumb behind. Having 2 loaves guarantees that there is enough bread for my husband and guests to enjoy with dinner.
While the kids are enjoying their Irish snack, I will be preparing Irish Stew. This dish is simmered to perfection on my Sharp Induction Cooktop. Irish Stew is the national dish of Ireland and is a must-have every St. Patrick’s Day. The stew is perfect by itself and tastes even better when it is soaked into Irish Soda Bread!
Make Shamrock Shaped Crayons in the Microwave
Get the kids involved to make their holiday a little more magical! When I was a kid, my mom used to go all out for holidays. Every inch of the house was decorated and we even had visits from leprechauns. I want to make the experience just as, if not more, magical for my kids. One of the ways I like to do this is by getting my kids involved in activities that relate to their interests.
On days when it is too cold to go outside, I try to limit my kid’s screen time. One of their favorite indoor activities is coloring. They loved their Heart-Shaped Crayons from Valentine’s Day so much that we decided to make Shamrock Crayons in my Sharp Smart Microwave.
We took broken pieces of crayons sitting in our crayon bin and placed them into Shamrock silicone molds. We used green, yellow, and white crayons to fit the theme. After placing the mold into the microwave, they were microwaved for 5 minutes. If you are using the Sharp Smart Microwave, say “Alexa, microwave for 5 minutes”. Carefully remove the mold from the microwave and place it in the freezer. The Sharp Refrigerator features an upper-level Freezer-Drawer for quick access. Freeze for 20 minutes, or until completely solid.
We created St. Patrick’s Day drawings using these crayons and hung them on our refrigerator. Everything from the crayons to the pictures made this activity an easy way to celebrate. I love how I was able to incorporate the theme from start to finish.
Decorate your Home
Our St. Patrick’s Day preparation begins weeks before March 17th. After Valentine’s Day, we switch all of our decorations. It’s like we blink and our home decorated with red hearts is transformed into a green wonderland. In addition to the drawings on our refrigerator, we create decorations for our entire home! We recently created this garland from Love Our Real Life. The homemade decorations are perfect for keeping little hands busy. The garland hangs beautifully in our dining room. To tie all of my decorations together, I also add a small bouquet of fresh green, white, and yellow flowers into each of my living spaces. Flowers are one of my favorite ways to freshen a space and subtly add a theme to a space.
How are you celebrating this year? Use #SharpHome on social media to share your favorite activities, interior design tips, and recipes with us.
