Wearing of the Green

Green ribbons and shamrocks were worn in celebration of St. Patrick's Day as early as the 17th century. St. Patrick is said to have used the shamrock, a three-leaved plant, to explain the Holy Trinity to the pre Christian Irish. The wearing and display of shamrocks and shamrock-inspired designs have become a customary feature of the day. The phrase "the wearing of the green", meaning to wear a shamrock on one's clothing, derives from the song of the same name.