St. Patrick’s Day – March 17, 2024

St. Patrick’s Day

Saint Patrick’s Day has been a part of the celebrations and traditions associated with the holiday to celebrate the life of Saint Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland. This holiday is widely celebrated in the United States and several other places around the world.

Large gatherings are held as a way for people to join in the festive spirit and enjoy a connection to Irish culture and heritage. The consumption of alcohol, the most common beer, has been associated with the festivities that take place on March 17^th.

Alcohol Consumption & Binge Drinking Statistics:

According to The Recovery Village, binge drinking on St. Patrick’s Day has dangerous and painful consequences for the families affected by it. Statistics about alcohol-related incidents include:

• Over the holiday weekend in 2019, 63% of car-related fatalities involved drunk drivers.
• In 2018, 33% of pedestrians killed in car crashes over the holiday were intoxicated with a BAC over 0.08.
• Between 2015 and 2019, 280 people were killed in drunk driving incidents during St. Patrick’s Day.
• It’s estimated that a drunk driving death occurs every 30 minutes during St. Patrick’s Day.

Binge drinking on St. Patrick’s Day takes its toll even if people aren’t behind the wheel:

• Beer sales increase by 174% on St. Patrick’s Day, while spirit sales increase by 153%.
• In 2022, it’s estimated that Americans celebrating the holiday will spend more than $42 on average, amounting to around $5.87 billion nationwide; 46% plan to purchase drinks.
• On average, drinkers consume 4.2 drinks on St. Patrick’s Day.
• Binge drinking cost the United States $191 billion in 2010 due to losses in workplace productivity, health care expenditures, criminal justice costs and related expenses.
• Binge drinking has short- and long-term effects on your health, even if you don’t do it regularly.

Sober Alternatives:

For those with a sober lifestyle, this may be a difficult holiday to navigate. Here are other alternative ways to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day:

1. Host your own alcohol-free with games, snacks, and mocktails (if you are comfortable doing so).
2. Cook a traditional Irish meal for yourself and/or your loved ones
3. Go to McDonald’s and get a green Shamrock Shake to get into the spirit
4. Learn how to Irish step dance
5. Attend a St. Patrick’s Day parade