Given everything that’s going on in the world right now, our St. Patrick’s Day plans don’t exactly look like we planned and that’s totally okay. I had gotten together a bunch of inspiration and ideas for a little party we were having for our local St. Patrick’s Day parade (it’s a BIG deal in our little town!). Parades and parties have been cancelled, but that doesn’t mean we can’t have a mini-celebration at home with our families. If anything, making some green cupcakes and special holiday treats are a good way to pass time and take our mind off things, right? Scroll down for some fun ideas, and give them a pin to save for next year’s bigger and better festivities! Festive Cupcakes. Make a box mix of cupcakes (funfetti, always!) and top them with shamrock green sprinkles and some gold-wrapped chocolate coins. A few years ago I also dressed up vanilla cupcakes with a rainbow of lucky charm marshmallow pieces (and sorting the marshmallows is actually a pretty fun activity to do with a toddler!).Irish Soda Bread Baskets. Our local bakery was making a batch of Irish Soda Bread for the weekend and I bought some of theirs instead of baking it myself, but sliced it up and put in green berry baskets for a festive serving display. They’d make cute hostess gifts as well!Shamrock Cookies. Last year I took the shortbread cookie recipe from my cookbook and tinted it green with a bit of food coloring. I stamped them out with cookie cutters to make some green shamrock cookies and nestled them on a big tray with some lucky charms rainbow chocolate bark. They were a hit at one of my book signings and a super easy recipe to make with kids! Green Drinks. The whole green beer thing kinda freaks me out but there are natural ways to give your cocktail a green tint! I pureed some kiwis (with a squeeze of lemon to keep the color from turning brown) and mixed them with some bubbly prosecco (or seltzer water for the kiddos!). It’s a good day for a green smoothie too, use some shamrock paper straws to give it a festive twist!

Eat the Rainbow. My holiday celebration ideas aren’t usually very healthy, I love any reason to indulge! But this is one holiday where a rainbow spread of fruits, or the full spectrum of veggie colors on a crudité platter really make sense! Make a rainbow with sliced veggies and position bowls of dip at the end of the rainbow for fluffy clouds, or some golden pub-cheese for a pot of gold in a black cast iron dish! 

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