St. Patrick’s Day Astrology (Plus Drinking Tips!)

Friday is St Patrick’s Day, an annual festival in which millions of people wear green, get drunk, and attempt to claim some portion of Irish Culture for themselves regardless of their actual ancestry. For me, this raises two questions. One: lots of countries have traditions of drinking and have different Patron Saints, so why aren’t we celebrating those (Join me on April 29th for St. Catherine of Siena’s day. Bring your own Pinot Grigio!)? Two: St. Patrick is also the Patron Saint of Nigeria, and where are all the brightly colored robes and people high on ibogaine?

Nonetheless, you have to play the hand you’re dealt, and when life hands you green beer you drink it. This year sees the confluence of a drunken tradition and the weekend, which can make things really interesting for your love life (and not necessarily in a good way). The combination of alcohol and the knowledge that you don’t have to be at work on time the next morning can have some dangerous side effects (come to think about it, that also explains a lot of things about writers). Since you aren’t likely to change your party plans based on a warning from an astrologer, here’s what to keep an eye out for when you’re partying like a leprechaun.

Mars is in Taurus (more about that here), and this implies more than the usual difficulties with regulating your temper and drives. So if you’re five drinks in and someone wanders past who isn’t wearing any green? Just let it go. And if your current mate’s cousin starts telling you how there’s always been an attraction to you? Just let it go.

Mercury is conjunct Venus on St. Patrick’s Day this year, which makes for creative and enthusiastic communications — at least, that’s how I’m sure you’ll perceive what you’re saying to everyone. Everyone else will likely just think you’re being a smart-ass.

Sun square Saturn is also exact on St. Patrick’s Day. This means that, all else being equal, egos will be a little more wounded than usual… or at least there will be more perceive insults, thus fueling the potential for anger and misunderstandings?

So how are you supposed to handle all this? Easy. Get a designated driver and don’t over-imbibe. The smart thing to do is to save some of your party budget for Monday, which is both an important pagan occasion (the Vernal Equinox, which is both the first day of Spring and when the Sun enters Aries) and International Astrology Day. Buy an astrologer a drink!