Having Fun With St. Patrick’s Day While Honoring The Irish In Your Community

Copyright: lindaparton / 123RF Stock Photo

As St. Patrick’s Day rolls around this week we all have our own ideas of how to celebrate or not. As you move forward with preparations in your community to liven up the dining room on this day make sure you are aware of your resident’s perspectives. For some, the “Americanized” version of St. Patrick’s Day that is full of green food and drinks, shamrocks, and leprechauns chasing rainbows in search of gold is a fun way to enjoy the day. However, know that if you have Irish residents they may have an entirely different observance and expectation of this holiday which are rooted in much more meaningful and cultural traditions. Consider that to some Irish the symbolism of a leprechaun is actually insulting or offensive. We’re not saying that you can’t have fun with the holiday and find ways to spice up the atmosphere and menu on the day, but just be aware and culturally sensitive to those that will be joining each other at the dining table that day. Honor holidays with reverence for the meaning behind them instead of the commercialized version.

Read about The True History Behind St. Patrick’s Day

Image Copyright: lindaparton / 123RF Stock Photo

About Cindy Heilman

Cindy is the founder and owner of Kind Dining®, which she began in 2006. She’s traveled across the country and Canada working with and training senior living communities that want to create an exceptional dining experience for their residents and staff. In addition, she certifies select professionals in her Kind Dining® philosophy and provides tools, now in an eLearning format, that make learning stick and help people put insights into action. As a result of her work, clients often share their staff has a new sense of purpose, get along better and keep their focus and energy on what matters most. In fact, she wrote a book, Hospitality for Boomers on how to attract residents and keep good team members. In her free time, she enjoys walking Oregon trails and cheering on her favorite soccer teams, the Portland Thorns and Timbers.

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