St. Patrick's Day 2012: Saturday Holiday A Boon For Bars And Retailers

Saint Patrick's Day falls on a Saturday this year, which means you might be spending more money on festivities than you would if the holiday were on a weekday.

Fifty four percent of all Americans will be celebrating St. Patrick's Day this year, according to a National Retail Federation survey, a record number in the survey's nine year existence.

This number is already greater than the number who celebrated last year when St. Patrick's day was on a Thursday. In 2010, when Saint Patrick's day was on a Wednesday, only 45.2 percent of people surveyed planned to celebrate the holiday.

Celebrating the day will likely entail spending money, though St. Patrick's Day is far from the most expensive holiday for consumers. The average American will spend $35 on Saturday, which is far less than the $59.33 we shelled out for the Super Bowl. Nationwide, we'll spend $4.6 billion on St. Patrick's Day, according to the NRF.

The most popular form of celebration will be wearing green, with 82.2 percent doing so. Next comes partying, with 19.1 percent planning to attend a private party and 28.2 percent saying they will go to an event at a bar or restaurant. Nearly half of Americans who celebrate the holiday are planning to attend a party.

Hopefully this won't mean waking up on Sunday with a face as green as last night's beers.

A tip: if you're going to spend money on Saint Patrick's Day garb this year, avoid t-shirts that mention the Irish. Earlier this month, the "Irish I Were Drunk" t-shirts currently on sale at Urban Outfitters came under fire, provoking outraged letters and editorials from Irish-American groups. Wearing one out of the house might just get you the pinch you're trying to avoid.

Comments

[Life With HC]

11:36 AM on 03/18/2012

I thought the economy was in bad shape and people didn't have money to party. If they have money to get trashed, they should be able to afford health care.

[Sadtothebone]

07:02 PM on 03/18/2012

Going out one time and getting drunk is not the same as paying a five thousand thousand dollars a year or more for health care if you are not covered as part of a group plan. Why are you opposed to persons getting health care who can not afford it?

[Life With HC]

09:23 PM on 03/21/2012

So long as I am not subsidizing their receipt of it, I don't mind. But my taxes will go up to cover their worthless asses, so I do mind. If you want smoeone who can't afford it to have health insurance, write a check youself. Don't drag evertone into your social engineering.

[Syl 13]

08:59 PM on 03/18/2012

One time expense! =/= ongoing, daily/monthly expenses. Less than a hundred bucks of food, booze and the gas/cab fair to get to and from said booze is not comparable to hundreds of dollars a month/thousands a year for insurance or out of pocket medical expenses, or other ongoing expenses like rent, utilities, groceries. But thanks for bringing bitterness and politics into it.

[Life With HC]

09:25 PM on 03/21/2012

Well then, why stop with St,. Pat's Day. Go get drunk every day and buy lots of tickets to movies and sporting events. Someone else will pick up your health insurance. You are very generous with other peoples' money.

[MurphGuide]

04:23 AM on 03/14/2012

"A tip: if you're going to spend money on Saint Patrick's Day garb this year, avoid t-shirts that mention the Irish"

Actually, it is totally OK to wear a shirt that mentions the Irish. Urban Outfitters (and others) come under fire when they sell shirts that *defame* the Irish. Get the difference?

[AcesHighSays]

09:25 PM on 03/13/2012

Perhaps the higher cost will save someone from a potential bar fight or spousal abuse.

Why do we celebrate alcoholism? Oh yes, it is to support the big corporations who caused our most recent recession.

[getoffmedz]

01:51 PM on 03/13/2012

Saint Patrick's Day - an excuse to get wasted.

lol