Celebrate St. Patrick's Day at home

March 12, 8:09 PMPhiladelphia Party Planning ExaminerRandi Martin

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Green Beer

The older I get, the less I want to press my luck at a bar on St. Patrick's Day (or the weekend before the holiday). Instead of fighting the crowds, I prefer to entertain at home.

The first thing on the to-do list is to tell everybody to come to my house. Since I don't have the time to call everyone individually, I love evites (electronic invitations). There are very creative designs available on evite.com and pingg.com.

Now that everyone knows about the party, the next item on the list is to visit the liquor store and beer distributor. This is a time for green drinks: green beer, apple martinis, and green Koolaid for the underage crowd. I will also serve other drinks like Irish Coffee (see recipe below) and Irish whiskey.

Irish Coffee (serves 1)

• 1 1/2 oz. Irish whiskey
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar
• 6 oz. hot coffee
• (to taste) heavy cream

In a mug, combine whiskey, sugar and coffee. Stir to dissolve. Top with heavy cream to taste. Green Light. Change out the lightbulbs for green ones or light candles in green votive holders. Hang a string of shamrock-shaped party lights.
Rainbow-colored balloons can serve as table centerpieces. Scatter gold foil-wrapped chocolate coins on the table beneath (or fill a small pot with them).

Invitations, check. Liquor, check. Next on the list, plan the menu. Serve traditional foods like corned beef, cabbage, potatoes, and Irish soda bread. I prefer to serve appetizer-size versions to make the food easier to handle. Remember that most of the guests are going to have a drink in the other hand.

Create the party atmosphere by decorating with shamrocks and all things green. Create a rainbow with balloons and plant a pot of gold (foil-covered chocolate coins) at the end. Play music by U2, Sinead O'Connor, Van Morrison, and other popular Irish imports. The dollar store always really cool holiday party items. Be sure to check them out for cups, plates, napkins, and plasticware.