For the love of...beer

I feel like every year I meet another person who hates Valentine's Day.

"It's a commercial holiday."
"It's all a marketing ploy."
"I don't need a specific day to tell the people I love that I love them."
"All the restaurants are too crowded."

The list goes on...

But you know what's interesting? St. Patrick's Day is essentially the same holiday, but you don't hear any of those complaints.

Tell me that St. Patrick's Day isn't a commercial holiday. It's a complete ploy to boost alcohol sales and get people into bars. Ireland barely even celebrated St. Patrick's Day until they had to in order to keep up with Boston and other American cities that went nuts with it.

Also, just as you don't need a specific day to tell the people you love that you love them, you do not need a specific day designated for wearing green and drinking. It's not necessary. You could do that on a Tuesday. Or Thursday. Or Friday. Or whenever you want. And in Boston--people do. (I see you over there at Hurricane O'Reilly's with your flat-brimmed C's hat and jersey...)

And all the bars are PACKED. You think it's tough to get a reservation for Valentine's Day? Try getting into The Pour House or Whiskey's or The Black Rose on St. Patrick's Day. It's not any easier.

So basically what it comes down to is that we're more willing to celebrate beer than we are to celebrate love.

I'm trying to decide if I think that's OK or not. 

Why do we think it's worth it to put up with overpriced alcohol and crowds for the sake of drunk partying but definitely not for the sake of those we love.

When I put it that way it sounds terrible, doesn't it?

Oh well. We have another 11 months before Valentine's Day is upon us again, and St. Patrick's Day is just around the corner. So, this year we can all drink to forget and maybe next year keep in mind that Valentine's Day may deserve a little bit of...well...a little bit of love.

"Ah, beer. The cause of and the solution to all of life’s problems."

- Homer Simpson

p.s. I'm not typically a recipe girl but if you're looking for a good shot for St. Patrick's day...a Baby Guiness shot is amazing. Fill a shot glass 3/4 full of Tia Maria, and then SLOWLY pour Bailey's on top to fill the rest of the shot. It looks like a tiny Guinness in a shot glass and it tastes so good.

(Recipe courtesy of the lovely Willoughby family back in Ireland. Thanks guys!)