Monday, March 17, is St. Patrick’s Day, and we all know that we need to wear green to avoid getting pinched.  But how did it all get started?

St Patrick’s day began as a Christian feast day honoring Saint Patrick, the Patron Saint of Ireland, and it was celebrated on the anniversary of his death, March 17th.

St. Patrick was a Christian missionary who is credited with bringing Christianity to Ireland, though he was not Irish; he was, in fact, born in Great Britain. Over time, the celebration evolved from a religious observance to a secular celebration of Irish culture, after Irish immigrants brought the tradition to other parts of the world.

Pinching someone that isn’t wearing green likely started from folklore about leprechauns who supposedly pinch anyone they can see, and wearing green makes you invisible to them.

Fun fact: The Shamrock, a symbol of the Trinity, is said to have been popularized by St. Patrick, and green became a prominent color associated with the holiday.