school17777 Posted March 17, 2017 Share Posted March 17, 2017 When I grew up, if you didn't wear green on St Patrick's Day, you got pinched! Dh never heard of that before. What about you? Have you heard of this before? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catwoman Posted March 17, 2017 Share Posted March 17, 2017 I have heard of it but I have never known anyone who actually was pinched or who was the pincher. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommaduck Posted March 17, 2017 Share Posted March 17, 2017 Yep, ever since I was little. However, a bride shouldn't wear green, lest she get pinched (taken) by the Fae ;) 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marbel Posted March 17, 2017 Share Posted March 17, 2017 Yeah, it was a common thing when I was growing up, and into adulthood. I haven't heard anyone say it in a long time now. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 17, 2017 Share Posted March 17, 2017 I remember it from elementary, and I hated it. That's one type of unsolicited touching I was glad to see fall out of favor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arcadia Posted March 17, 2017 Share Posted March 17, 2017 I have heard it growing up and my kids have heard it here too. Kids do get pinched by schoolmates in school and their teachers wear something green too, like green tie, hairpin, shoelaces. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnnE-girl Posted March 17, 2017 Share Posted March 17, 2017 I've heard it, but not really seen it actually done. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommaduck Posted March 17, 2017 Share Posted March 17, 2017 Picture getting chased around the playground and pinched over and over, because your Finnish-Prussian mother didn't dress you with any green. Yes, I'm glad that they bit is mostly gone. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bootsie Posted March 17, 2017 Share Posted March 17, 2017 A St. Patrick's Day activity in elementary school always involved making something green to wear--a shamrock pin or something so that every child was protected from being pinched. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Butter Posted March 17, 2017 Share Posted March 17, 2017 (edited) Yes. And people still do it around here in Texas and where we used to live in MD. I find it to be one of the most disgusting, obnoxious traditions. I don't bother about wearing green on St. Patrick's Day because I don't actually care about the holiday. One year some kids went to pinch me and pretty much told them off about touching someone without their permission, especially with the intention of it hurting and they were pretty shocked since I am normally pretty calm, especially with other people's kids. I feel very strongly about no pinching on St. Patrick's Day. Edited March 17, 2017 by Butter 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cjzimmer1 Posted March 17, 2017 Share Posted March 17, 2017 I never heard of it till someone on my facebook page posted a sign her daughter made about it. I'm even part Irish, I wonder how I escaped this knowledge. When I remarked on the strangeness of the concept eldest DS thought it was strange that I had never heard of it because he was well acquainted with it. This is the first year he wasn't home with us on St. Patrick's day so I'm not sure where he picked up the knowledge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 17, 2017 Share Posted March 17, 2017 Oh heavens, yes. Getting pinched all day long because you forgot to dress in green for St. Patrick's Day was a passage of growing up. Lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinder Posted March 17, 2017 Share Posted March 17, 2017 I grew up in Hawaii where pinching for no green on St. Patrick's Day was common. I have no idea if it's still a tradition there though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Girls' Mom Posted March 17, 2017 Share Posted March 17, 2017 I've been pinched twice today, so yeah I've heard of it. :glare: They don't believe me when I say my green eyes count. hmpf. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rebcoola Posted March 17, 2017 Share Posted March 17, 2017 Yes I've common here and I've done it (gently) to close friends & family. My kids are at their charter school today no idea how it is handled 1 wore green 1 didn't, so we'll see how their days go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Night Elf Posted March 17, 2017 Share Posted March 17, 2017 I grew up with that too and always thought it was stupid. It's plain mean. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 17, 2017 Share Posted March 17, 2017 It was common when I was a kid, but most of the pinches were gentle. We always tried to wear orange anyway, since we were Irish and Protestant, so I think people figured out not to pinch me unless they wanted a religious lecture. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amber in SJ Posted March 17, 2017 Share Posted March 17, 2017 A million years ago I taught Kindergarten and we celebrated St Patrick's Day in class by making something green so no one would get pinched. I always kept a supply of green ribbons, green buttons, anything ninja turtles, or green shoelaces for the kids who didn't come with green and might get bothered by kids on the playground. Of course mean or painful pinching was not allowed. With my own kids gentle pinching is allowed. With our very gentle pinches we say "A pinch to grow an inch & a smile to grow a mile." I have never had anyone get upset Let's face it your other choices for traditional celebration activities for this very American-only-nominally-Irish Holiday are eating corned beef and drinking excessively, so I never worried much about very gentle pinching. Amber in SJ 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vonfirmath Posted March 17, 2017 Share Posted March 17, 2017 (edited) I have heard of it but I have never known anyone who actually was pinched or who was the pincher. Agreed. I don't worry about wearing green because I work with adults who wouldn't think of pinching someone for their choice of dress. I make sure my kids wear green to avoid it but I'm also sure it is heavily frowned upon at school. Edited March 17, 2017 by vonfirmath Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris in VA Posted March 17, 2017 Share Posted March 17, 2017 Heard of it and did (and received) my share, but it was never hard or obnoxious. Well, it was just supposed to be very gentle. I don't wear green usually unless it's a teaching day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beaniemom Posted March 17, 2017 Share Posted March 17, 2017 As a short refhead I always dreaded St Patrick's Day because if I wore green I got called a leprechaun butif I didn't I got pinched. My children are well aware of my stance on St Patrick's Day foolishness as well as April Fool's Day (I am not a fan of pranks but don't mind them participating as long as everyone is ok with it). 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julie Smith Posted March 17, 2017 Share Posted March 17, 2017 Never ever heard of it. I'm from Canada. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparklyUnicorn Posted March 17, 2017 Share Posted March 17, 2017 I have. But it is preferable to the "kiss me I'm" scenario. I don't want to be kissed by strangers. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnnE-girl Posted March 17, 2017 Share Posted March 17, 2017 [quote name="Amber in SJ" post="7500271" timestamp= Let's face it your other choices for traditional celebration activities for this very American-only-nominally-Irish Holiday are eating corned beef and drinking excessively, so I never worried much about very gentle pinching. Amber in SJ I'm not sure if this needs a spinoff, but I'm getting very annoyed with all the drinking in "celebration" of St. Patrick's Day. I was talking to the Dublin-native owner of the Irish pub in our town, and he said how back in Ireland, the day is more about going to church than everyone drinking and eating everything green. I saw an ad on Facebook for Jose Cuervo green St. Patrick's day drinks. It seems so wrong. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
creekland Posted March 17, 2017 Share Posted March 17, 2017 Oh yeah... it's St Patrick's Day. I'm not wearing green (yawn). I'm not Irish or Catholic. I suspect if I were at school today I'd wear green just to stay traditional (though where I grew up wearing orange was also traditional if one wasn't Catholic), but here at home and out and about today? I'll admit to not caring. I don't recall anyone pinching anyone over it, but that could be my poor memory - or the fact that anyone trying to pinch me back in my school days wouldn't try it twice. (Same goes for now actually, but I'll be politer about it now - probably - maybe 'tis best not to test that thought.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Word Nerd Posted March 17, 2017 Share Posted March 17, 2017 Yes, and my DD said someone tried to pinch her so it's still a thing here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Word Nerd Posted March 17, 2017 Share Posted March 17, 2017 I grew up with that too and always thought it was stupid. It's plain mean. I didn't ever think it was mean. It was playful and good-natured—not a real attempt to hurt anyone. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BooksandBoys Posted March 17, 2017 Share Posted March 17, 2017 I grew up with it and it's definitely still happening where we live now. My kids made sure we all put on our "pinching shields" today when we got dressed. Then they had a blast gently pinching their father who didn't wear green. :-) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Storygirl Posted March 17, 2017 Share Posted March 17, 2017 Yes it is a thing here now, and it was back when I was a kid. My boys wore socks with some green on them (they have to wear uniforms to school, which have no green), and they both had to show off their socks to avoid pinches today. My oldest attends a different private school, and the students there were warned that they were not allowed to pinch anyone. Her uniform has green as an option, though, so she had something to wear. My husband is more Irish than most who claim Irish-American heritage, as his grandfather immigrated from Ireland. But he cares less about St. Patrick's Day than just about anyone I know. He will enjoy his corned beef dinner tonight, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jewellsmommy Posted March 17, 2017 Share Posted March 17, 2017 Just today! My friend's 15 yr old came up to me in the 'pinching stance' :huh: saying' "mmm, no green" I popped his hand (without thinking about it) and said, "if you do, I'll smack you." He looked at his hand and then looked at me and said, "you just did!" I thought for a second, "Oh. Well I'll smack you again" :lol: Thankfully dd was in a green skirt because she was leaving to go with them, and he really would pinch her. She would probably smack him too. :lol: 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted March 17, 2017 Share Posted March 17, 2017 Yes. And I often saw it used as a cover for sexual harassment. I found it to be positively nasty when I was in middle school. By far one of the more traumatic days of the year. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lllll Posted March 17, 2017 Share Posted March 17, 2017 (edited) nm Edited March 27, 2017 by 1234 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loowit Posted March 17, 2017 Share Posted March 17, 2017 It was a thing when I was growing up. I don't remember anyone actually getting pinched for not wearing green, but there was a bit of mild teasing that I always believed was in good fun. My kids were sure to put on green this morning. We do it as a fun tradition and I wouldn't allow any real pinching. My sister stopped by this afternoon and she wasn't wearing green so youngest teased her a bit but knew not to actually pinch her. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dmmetler Posted March 17, 2017 Share Posted March 17, 2017 When I was a PS teacher, I would walk around as kids arrived and offer them green stickers to avoid that sort of thing. Especially once my district went to uniforms, making it all the more likely that kids would forget to put in a green barrette or shoestrings or socks with green stripes (all of which would get by in our dress code). 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kalmia Posted March 18, 2017 Share Posted March 18, 2017 Yep, ever since I was little. However, a bride shouldn't wear green, lest she get pinched (taken) by the Fae ;) Oh that's what happened to me! I wore a green 1920s wedding dress, and well, the Fae is as good an explanation as any for how I am now. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EKS Posted March 18, 2017 Share Posted March 18, 2017 Yes, pinched. I always tried to claim that my underwear was green. Ugh. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liz CA Posted March 18, 2017 Share Posted March 18, 2017 I have heard of it but I have never known anyone who actually was pinched or who was the pincher. Goodness Gracious. And you are from the NYC area where many Irish immigrants live? Yes, you have to be careful that you have at least a spot of green on you (preferably where it's visible) on St. Paddy's day...or else. :lol: 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liz CA Posted March 18, 2017 Share Posted March 18, 2017 (edited) Yes. And I often saw it used as a cover for sexual harassment. I found it to be positively nasty when I was in middle school. By far one of the more traumatic days of the year. My goodness. Guys only pinched on arms and for those who think pinching hurts, it's not really supposed to be that hard. What you describe is harmless fun gone bad. So sorry. Edited March 18, 2017 by Liz CA 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liz CA Posted March 18, 2017 Share Posted March 18, 2017 I'm not sure if this needs a spinoff, but I'm getting very annoyed with all the drinking in "celebration" of St. Patrick's Day. I was talking to the Dublin-native owner of the Irish pub in our town, and he said how back in Ireland, the day is more about going to church than everyone drinking and eating everything green. I saw an ad on Facebook for Jose Cuervo green St. Patrick's day drinks. It seems so wrong. While the pinching is relatively harmless, the drinking is not. Dh's alma mater had to round up police force from neighboring counties to deal with drunk and out of control college students. Nowadays, they move spring break to fall on St. Paddy's day so they don't have to deal with it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julie Smith Posted March 18, 2017 Share Posted March 18, 2017 While the pinching is relatively harmless, the drinking is not. Dh's alma mater had to round up police force from neighboring counties to deal with drunk and out of control college students. Nowadays, they move spring break to fall on St. Paddy's day so they don't have to deal with it. Our city/ Town has two universities a five minute walk apart. The houses in the area can get terriozed on st. Patrick's day. Two years ago one house containing a young family had bricks thrown through the window because the party people thought they had called the cops for being to loud. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
linders Posted March 18, 2017 Share Posted March 18, 2017 Of course! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catwoman Posted March 18, 2017 Share Posted March 18, 2017 Goodness Gracious. And you are from the NYC area where many Irish immigrants live? Yes, you have to be careful that you have at least a spot of green on you (preferably where it's visible) on St. Paddy's day...or else. :lol: :lol: Maybe it never happened to me because I always wear green on St. Patrick's Day! My grandmother would come back to haunt me if I didn't! :lol: 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liz CA Posted March 18, 2017 Share Posted March 18, 2017 My mom used to do this (wear orange), and when I told a Catholic friend this in college, she became upset almost to tears at the insensitivity of that, and I felt awful as well as embarrassed because I really knew nothing about St Patrick's Day and didn't understand the significance of the orange thing. I have to look it up almost every year to remind myself what it's all about, because for some reason, I always forget. Anyway, it's interesting to read a couple of you say that's typical in your area, because I came away from that college encounter thinking it was something really strange. (The stranger thing is that my mom actually is Catholic, but she didn't grow up that way, so I think it was a vestige from her pre-Catholic upbringing days.) Never heard about the orange thing. Can you explain this? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liz CA Posted March 18, 2017 Share Posted March 18, 2017 (edited) :lol: Maybe it never happened to me because I always wear green on St. Patrick's Day! My grandmother would come back to haunt me if I didn't! :lol: If I could bring my grandma back by not wearing green today, I would. ;) Edited March 18, 2017 by Liz CA 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
almondbutterandjelly Posted March 18, 2017 Share Posted March 18, 2017 Never heard about the orange thing. Can you explain this? I remember asking my dad (very Irish) about this, and he got a bit upset and mentioned something about the Duke of Orange slaughtering a bunch of people. Hopefully, someone will chime in with the actual facts about this. I suspect a google search would provide the answer, too. But WTM is more fun! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tap Posted March 18, 2017 Share Posted March 18, 2017 Super common in the PNW when I was growing up and still heard it mentioned today at work. It isn't usually mean though, just in fun, and usually the arm (not the bum or other body parts). 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slackermom Posted March 18, 2017 Share Posted March 18, 2017 The colors of the Irish flag are green, white, and orange. The green is said to represent the older, Gaelic tradition, the orange represents the (Protestant) followers of William of Orange, and white is supposed to represent the lasting peace between the two groups. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peaceseeker Posted March 18, 2017 Share Posted March 18, 2017 I was raised (American) Irish Catholic and my dad and grandfather insisted not only that we wear green on St. Patrick's day but also that we did not wear orange. I was always told it was a catholic/protestant thing. My kids have been pinching each other and their dad all day even though everyone wore green. I always tell them it's the leprechauns job to pinch anyone not wearing green but that doesn't seem to help. Any excuse to harass each other! I was always told you wore green on St. Patrick's day to keep the leprechauns from pinching you. We have created our own strange Americanized version of this holiday which is nothing at all like the religious holiday in Ireland. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carrie12345 Posted March 18, 2017 Share Posted March 18, 2017 Yup. Yesterday morning, my 9yo told me he and the 6yo got pinched for not yet wearing green. By each other. They got dressed quickly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sherry in OH Posted March 18, 2017 Share Posted March 18, 2017 I didn't learn of the pinching until this year. When I was at Walmart last week, I saw a child's St. Patrick's Day shirt that read 'pinch proof' and didn't understand the context. Then yesterday, at the doctor's office, I heard someone ask the receptionist if she was wearing green because if she wasn't he would have to pinch her. In high school some boys wore orange instead of green on St. Patrick's Day claiming they were protestant. Mostly though, people either wore green or they didn't. Other than making paper shamrocks in elementary school, I don't remember ever celebrating St. Patrick's Day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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