Saint Patrick’s Day, while being an Irish holiday, is celebrated by Americans from all walks of life. The holiday seems to be particularly popular among college students and young adults.

The holiday means more than green beer and corned beef. But two things can be true: Saint Patrick’s Day can be embraced as an Irish holiday and fun can be had celebrating Americanized Saint Patrick’s Day traditions.

Jordan Bollen, a junior product design student, keeps the traditional Irish element of the holiday alive by listening to “Come Out, Ye Black and Tans,” an Irish rebel song credited to Irish songwriter Dominic Behan.

For some, Saint Patrick’s Day has lost most of its meaning to Americanization. Pazi Greenberg, a junior environmental studies student, said she first experienced the true nature of the holiday during her senior year of high school when she spent it with her best friend’s Irish Catholic family.

“The whole premise of it was family and food and — yes drinking was some part of it — but more than that, I feel like that was my first introduction to what type of celebration it’s supposed to be,” Greenberg said.

Now, in Eugene, Greenberg’s large group of friends celebrates Saint Patrick’s Day with a house crawl; one sprawling day party or “darty.”

“We do what we call the Leprechaun Leap. In between all of our houses and apartments, everyone makes a drink — enough for everyone — and we walk from house to house and play games, eat and drink all together,” Greenberg said.

Many people spend Saint Patrick’s Day celebrating with friends and traditions or simply a fervent desire to get wasted, but others may feel they have no reason to celebrate the holiday in the first place.

“I feel like when you’re with family it’s probably easier to celebrate because you have a tradition,” community member Taylor Eaddy said. “I’d say a majority of people nowadays are so focused on work and life. They don’t think too much about leisure.”

Other students have maintained childhood traditions of the holiday while in Eugene — wearing green and pinching those who do not has become the hallmark Saint Patrick’s Day celebration for many — even those less excited about the holiday.

“​​My St. Patrick’s Day traditions include pinching anybody that’s not wearing green. That’s about it though,” senior sociology major Steven Long said.

For some, the dress code is a bit stricter. “I dress up like a leprechaun and buy the gold coins and whatnot,” senior environmental studies major Justine Aynesworth said. Aynesworth also practices the well-loved pinching tradition.

Saint Patrick’s Day is not recognized as a national holiday, but fortunately the holiday will fall on a Sunday this year. So for those that celebrate, get out your green, and for those that don’t, watch out or you may be pinched.