St Patrick's Day
'Tis customary to 'drown the shamrock', while having the 'craic', wearing green and saying things like 'Oh begorrah' on Saint Patrick's Day.
And while immersing yourself in all that's Irish can be great fun, living up to the typical Irish stereotype of the drunken party animal can turn a great day bad.
In the pub or at home, caught up in the festivities, it can be all too easy to lose track of how much you’re drinking. One green beer can turn to two and before you know it your face matches that 'kiss me I’m Irish' badge on your t-shirt.
Opting out of rounds that don’t suit you, pacing yourself with water between alcoholic drinks or opting for soft drinks or alcohol-free beer does not make you un-patriotic. You’ll enjoy the day better, last (and be able to stand) for the customary Irish anthem and you won’t have to face work the following day feeling like you got the wallop of a shelaghly over your head.
Top 5 Tips for Paddy's Day
- Eat. And we mean more than a bag of crisps between drinks. This is a feast day after all so eat a decent meal before you start drinking.
- Round, Round, Baby...not everyone drinks at the same pace so it's OK to skip a round or not have a drink at all. Try and limit rounds to 2 or 3 friends. And to avoid getting into a round altogether just use 'the other R word' – Recession!
- Water. It's not the most exciting drink but having a glass of water between alcoholic drinks will keep you refreshed and hydrated.
- Time. With a whole day off work it's easy for one drink with mates to turn into many more. Give yourself good reason not to spend the whole day drinking various green drinks- plan to go to a parade, event or dinner with family and friends.
- Morning After. Even if you feel fine the morning after you may still be over the legal driving limit. Your body gets rid of roughly one standard drink – that's half a pint or a small glass of wine or a pub measure of spirits – per hour.
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