DECK THE HOLIDAY'S

    St. Patrick's Day is a lively celebration, traditionally observed with parades, music, dancing, Irish food and green beer.  Chances are, there will be a parade near you, as there are parades and celebrations all over the United States on this Irish holiday.  The following are the top 10 of the heap.   Boston, Mass .    They've been partying since 1901 in "Bean Town".   About 850,000 people attend this spirited party.  The city's population is about 16 percent Irish and they celebrate St. Patrick's Day with enthusiasm.     New York City    New York's parade has been celebrated since 1762.  They expect about 2 million people to line the streets of New York for the largest and oldest St. Patrick's parade in the United States.  The huge parade has about 150,000 marchers.  No floats or automobiles allowed.  Plenty of bagpipes and green beer in the city on this Irish event.  As the original St. Pat

   Ah, St. Patrick's Day: the day when each one of your friends and even your grandfather seems to be Irish.  This is probably the only day when you'll dig through your closet, just to find that  special green something to wear wherever you go.  St. Patrick's Day is celebrated all over the world, and for many, it's a day to relax and drink, whether it's a favorite ale or just some random green beer served at the bar.  Many think St. Patrick's Day is just about wearing green, drinking, and dealing with the hangover the next day.  However, there are probably some things that many don't know about St. Patrick's Day.    Some of the facts you'll find surprising, while others are a little bit more expected, especially if you've participated in a St. Patrick's Day festivity once in your life.  And of course, have a Happy St. Patrick's Day!   Shamrocks     Of course with St. Patrick's Day comes the massive appearance

   The trappings of St. Patrick's Day are familiar to most Americans these days.  There's drinking, green bowlers , leprechauns with their shillelaghs , four leaf clovers everywhere you can imagine, and parades that usually involve men in kilts playing the bagpipes .  While these celebrations are fairly old, beginning in the 1760's in New York, St. Patrick's Day has been observed by the Irish for over 1,000 years.   As such, to figure out just where everything came from and where this saint came from, you need to dig back into history.    Though we know him today as Patrick, the man's original name was Succat according to Baby Names of Ireland.  Succat , or Patrick to keep things simple, was born to wealthy parents in Britain.  His father was a Christian deacon, though the household appeared to be devoted to the church more for tax breaks than for faith.  Patrick was taken hostage at the age of 16 by Celtic raiders, who were part of the armies of the