PICK A SIDE: Will you be celebrating St. Patrick’s Day virtually?
Published March 12, 2021 at 5:02 pm
With the pandemic now having surpassed a full year, it has affected nearly every major holiday.
With Toronto and Peel Region still in the Province’s grey – lockdown zone, and many other regions in the red – control zone, it is still difficult and ill-advised to host or attend large gatherings.
This is bad news for those with Irish heritage, as St Patrick’s Day is this coming Wednesday (March 17).
This year, the holiday where everyone is Irish for a day may require everyone to celebrate by themselves, as many bars and restaurants are not permitted to allow indoor dining, and those that are must follow strict regulations regarding group sizes.
As has been the case with previous holidays, there is the option to try and put together a virtual event, but would that really work for this holiday?
While many consider St. Paddy’s Day a holiday for college kids and university students looking to blow off steam during the brief period between the end of classes and the start of exams, it doesn’t seem like it would be the same celebrating through a screen.
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Additionally, those who don’t truly know of the history of the holiday see it just as an excuse to dress in wild, green costumes and get day drunk, something that doesn’t exactly translate well via Zoom.
However, those who find themselves struggling with their mental health due to feelings of isolation may welcome any form of celebration—even if they have to drink green beer by themselves and see their friends and family through a screen.
Further, some feel, with so much despair over the last 12 months, any opportunity to celebrate anything should be seized—even if it requires some modifications.
So, readers, what do you think? Is it worth celebrating St. Paddy’s Day virtually?
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