March 17, 2015 is the day many of us dress in green and celebrate St. Patrick's Day. As the tradition goes, if you forget to wear green you may be pinched. But did you know this is only a tradition in the United States?
So why do we wear green when celebrating St. Patrick's Day?
Three reasons why we wear green on St. Patrick's Day:
- Green is linked to St. Patrick's Day because green is one of the three colors in the Irish flag
- Ireland is known as the "Emerald Isle"
- Green is the color of the shamrock
Why do we pinch each other when we forget to wear green?
It's an American tradition that can be traced back to the 1700s. According to the Irish legend, those that wear green are invisible to leprechauns who randomly pinch people no matter what color they are wearing. This led to the American tradition of pinching people who forget to wear green if you wear green you are invisible to leprechauns so you won't get pinched.
As always, our goal at Healthcare Compliance Pros is to keep you updated with the latest news and important reminders, which is why we felt it necessary to remind you to please wear green Tuesday March 17th, 2015. Doing so will help you avoid being pinched by a co-worker and ultimately avoid any harassment or compliance violations in the workplace that could happen due to an unsuspecting pinch.
Have a Happy (and safe) St. Patrick's Day!