How To Throw a St. Patrick’s Day Party

Plan the menu. Corned beef and cabbage is traditional, but feel free to serve something else, like a hearty Irish stew (made with lamb, not beef) or fish and chips (chips being french fries).

Make Irish soda bread, or bake a four-leaf clover cake by using four heart-shaped pans. Put out bowls of green M&Ms and/or green jelly beans.

The Irish flag is green, white, and orange, so keep those colors in mind when you pick up paper goods, candles, balloons, streamers, etc. Float some green and orange tea candles in glass bowls of water or, for an unusual look, in martini glasses.

Make green beer by adding a few drops of green food coloring to a pale-colored brew. Make apple martinis for non-beer drinkers using sour apple schnapps, vodka, sweet and sour mix, and apple slice garnishes.

Play music by Irish artists, like The Chieftains, U2, Enya, The Corrs, and Van Morrison.

Pop in a CD or DVD of Riverdance and hold an Irish step dancing contest. Present a rabbit’s foot—a symbol of good luck in Ireland—to the winner.

Serve everyone an Irish coffee (coffee with whiskey and topped with whipped cream) before they leave.