Friday, March 14, 2008

Leprechaun Boxes

This year some Irish priests moved St.Patrick's Day up to March 15th so it wouldn't mix with Holy Monday, however next year it'll be back on the 17th. This only means I had to make the kids get on the ball for their Leprechaun Boxes.

What are leprechaun boxes? Basically these are their treasure boxes that they create and leave outside the night before St.Patrick's Day.

Why? Legend has it that St.Patrick drove the snakes out of Ireland and placed a big black snake in a box and tossed it into the sea. Leprechauns, being little and all, were very thankful and any time they see an empty box they place a goodie in it as a thank you. But being greedy they give that box 24 hours to be found and claimed or they come back to take their loot.

My kids pick a small box (normally from Michaels) that they get to paint (normally green) and decorate with glitter, stickers, shamrocks, etc. They leave it outside for the leprechaun to find and quickly run out on St. Patrick's Day morning to find it. Yes, the leprechaun hides them. Once they are found they quickly open them to see what they got and run back in.

That's our version of a "Leprechaun box." Will you be making one? It is a fun tradition.