DIY St. Patrick's Day Party Guide

March 17th, many years ago, began the day of remembrance for St. Patrick. This day was officially declared a religious holiday celebrating the arrival of Christianity in Ireland, as well as, a general celebration of Ireland and its beloved saint. What better way to honor the holiday than by throwing on a green shirt and hosting your own party. The pubs can get easily crowded on a holiday like St. Patrick's, so why not bring the pub to you. Celebrate from the comfort of your own home with your closest friends and family without having to wait at the bar, the bathroom or for a ride. Stock up on Irish cocktails and tell your friends to get ready to shake their shamrocks at the party of the year with these easy DIY St. Patrick's Day ideas.

Decor

When decorating for St. Patrick's it goes without saying that hues of green and gold are a necessity for the big celebration! The simplest way to add green flair to your home is via shamrocks. Have a few real shamrocks in terracotta pots as centerpieces surrounded with a few votive candles to channel a celtic pub vibe. Tablecloths or runners in natural linens adorned with rustic accents will add an authentic Celtic pub feel to your holiday. Of course, no pub is complete without coasters. Purchase some cork coasters and decorate them according to your theme. You can even dip a wine cork in gold paint and stamp a shamrock on each one, the possibilities are endless. Finally, all pubs display an array of memorabilia on the wall. Create your own pub decor with Irish quotes in cheap spray painted gold frames. You can use a thumb tack to temporarily hang them or simply place them propped up against the walls. To keep things simple, serve traditional pub finger foods in paper baskets. Some favorites include fish n' chips, wings and sliders. Dig in!

Entertainment

No party is complete without some fun and games! In the spirit of gaelic traditions, what better way to celebrate than with a tribute to one of Ireland's greatest fables: the leprechaun. Have a scavenger hunt where you look for the leprechaun's treasure. You can hide gold coins, gold rocks, money or scratch off's around the house. Once the leprechaun's have discovered all the treasure, keep the party going with some ol' time rock and roll aka karaoke! Once you've sung to your heart's content get your guests to settle down with some trivia. You can create categories, have guests win prizes, make it Ireland themed or borrow some questions from the internet. Either way, a little friendly competition can up the ante at even the most sophisticated soirées.

Party Favors

Just because the party's over doesn't mean the fun has to stop. Send your guests home with favors that will have them reminiscing long after the 17th. Gift party goer's with delicious gold coins that will fill their bellies rather than their wallets. Spray individual Oreos with edible gold paint to create this tasty treat. In the spirit of celebration, send your guests home with mini Irish cocktails. Attach a mini Irish whiskey to a small bottle of ginger ale and you have a portable cocktail to keep the party going until the sun comes up. Or try this approach, you've heard the saying, "Kiss me, I'm Irish" send everyone home with some lip balm that will have your guests feeling lucky long after St. Patrick's Day. Top of the morning to you!

Merissa Principe is a teacher and a freelance travel blogger from NYC. Teaching early childhood education has provided Merissa an opportunity to travel all over the world and live in new places. Be sure to follow her at Citygirlriss.wordpress.com for all things travel, beauty, fashion and New York City.