Staff editorial: Green with consumerism

St. Patrick’s Day is an excuse to drink, pinch people who are not wearing green, and dye the Chicago River the color of Nickelodeon slime. St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, spread the gospel to a country that had not heard about Jesus before,according to the Catholic Encyclopedia. The national holiday is celebrated in Ireland and America.

Originally, the holiday was about religion. Now it has become a day when people in the United States wear green.

St. Patrick's Day has become a mainstream marketing tool, like other holidays, and has lost its point. Nobody even knows the real meaning of the holiday because everyone just thinks of green merchandise.

Comparable holidays, like Valentine's Day, are equally commercialized and are subject to excess buying by consumers.

Americans often get so attracted to holidays where we can let loose and drink that we lose sight of the purpose of the holiday.

Party City, located on Sepulveda Boulevard, boasts an impressive selection of St. Patrick’s themed supplies, from hats and sunglasses to shot glasses and green Solo cups.

As part of the St. Patrick's Day Parade celebration, Chicago dyes its river green. Forty pounds of powdered vegetable dye are used to color the river for the celebration.

McDonald's released a limited time Shamrock Shake available until St. Patrick's Day.

Lucky Charms cereal features a leprechaun mascot. The brand also releases limited edition cereals during the week of St. Patrick's Day.

Since the mid-1970s, Ireland has followed suit of their American cousins. Bars are open wide, everyone wears silly green hats, and there are parades and carnivals all over the country.

This year, during the St. Patrick's festival in Dublin, Ireland is going green, literally. Dublin's most iconic buildings and most of the city will be illuminated green, according to the festival's website.

In this sea of green, it is hard not to love St. Patrick's Day. Even if it is a holiday where American consumerism is seen in the worst way.

On Sunday there will be no leprechauns standing guard, but there will be plenty of green — shamrocks, greeting cards and beer.