Have you got your orange on?

No, I didn't mistype that and yes, I'm serious.  I've got mine on.  What's that?  You have no idea what I'm talking about?  Oh, well let me fill you in so when you go out tonight to consume green beer en masse, you can wax poetically on the subject.

We all know what the Irish flag looks like - if not, peek up in the left corner there because I'm putting a dollar on it that I'm putting one there.  See how there are three panels - green, white and orange.  Lore states that the green represents the Catholics, the orange represents the Protestants and the white represents peace between them.  The color you wear today is more of a representation of your religious preference really.

source

Care for a few more nerdy facts to get you through the night:

• This day was traditionally celebrated by attending church, wearing green and the lifting of restrictions from Lent so that you could eat anything and drink alcohol.
• Shamrocks were used by Saint Patrick, when he was a bishop, to explain the Holy Trinity while he was a missionary in Ireland.
• The original color associated with Saint Patrick was blue, not green.  The Order of St. Patrick was the senior order of chivalry in the Kingdom of Ireland.  The color of the order had to differ from those already established and a sky blue was chosen.

So there you have it.  The few fun little tid bits that I have managed to file away in my brain in regards to St. Patrick's Day.  I don't remember where I learned them all but I do know that every year I end up explaining one of them... shortly after I get pinched by some maroon.

Happy St. Patrick's Day everyone.  Celebrate to your heart's content, wear the color of your liking - green, white, orange or sky blue - and Éirinn go brách.