The 7 Most Expensive Things People Spend Money on for St. Patrick’s Day
Written by
Josephine Nesbit
Edited by
Nicholas Morine
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Parades, parties, beer and the color green are St. Patrick’s Day must-haves. Consumers are also spending plenty of green to celebrate this year.
According to the National Retail Federation (NRF), about 62% of the population, or 162 million Americans, are planning to celebrate on St. Paddy’s Day weekend. Consumers plan to spend a record $7.2 billion — or $44.40 per person — on the holiday this year. Unsurprisingly, the top spending category is food and beverages, and most plan to celebrate by wearing green, making a special dinner, decorating the home or office and attending a party at a bar or restaurant.
Spending a little more than you planned is common on St. Patrick’s Day, especially after a few Guinnesses. Here are the most expensive things people spend money on during this holiday.
Bar Tabs
St. Patrick’s Day is the most popular holiday for beer drinking. And as people drink, they’re much more likely to splurge on expensive drinks — or buy even more alcohol than they need for celebrations.
According to WalletHub, over 13 million pints of Guinness are consumed worldwide on this day, and 174% more beer and 153% more spirits are sold than usual. Americans also consume an average of 4.2 drinks per person, and 36% of men admit to binge drinking on this day.
Making a Special Dinner
If you’re making a meal at home, St. Paddy’s Day is typically celebrated with corned beef and cabbage. According to the NRF, 29% plan to make a special meal. Corned beef brisket costs roughly $5 per pound at Walmart, and a head of cabbage is a little under $3. While making your own St. Patrick’s Day meal at home costs much less than dining out, the cost could add up if you plan to host a large gathering.
Going Out to a Restaurant
Many people opt to dine out on St. Patrick’s Day. NRF data shows that more than one-quarter (27%) of Americans plan to attend a party at a bar or restaurant.Â
In data released by Nielsen IQ in 2019, this holiday was reported to be the highest-grossing day of the year for U.S. bars and restaurants. Consumers often visit restaurants earlier in the day for brunch, but Happy Hour had the largest number of sales as people wait to take advantage of deals offered by bars and restaurants.
Greeting Cards
St. Patrick’s Day isn’t necessarily the most popular holiday to send a seasonal greeting card, but it still made the list. According to the Greeting Card Association, seven million units are typically purchased for this holiday. Although the cost of a greeting card isn’t much — between $2 and $10 plus the cost of a postage stamp — if you plan to send several, it adds up.
Transportation
St. Patrick’s Day is a big holiday for popular ridesharing apps like Uber and Lyft. According to Upgraded Points, most estimates claim an Uber ride will cost between $1 and $2 per mile — but many cities are also offering free rides on St. Patrick’s Day to combat drunk driving. For example, the Washington Regional Alcohol Program (WRAP) will be offering free Lyft codes for people in Washington, D.C., DC News Now reported.
Party Décor
St. Patrick’s Day is a big selling holiday for Amazon and other retailers, and NRF reported that 12% of Americans plan to host their own party. In 2021, shamrock decorations brought in just under $600,000 in Amazon sales between March 1 and March 8, Jungle Scout reported, and themed party favors raked in over $143,000.
Apparel and Accessories
Green T-shirts and other St. Patrick’s Day-themed accessories are also popular purchases as people head out to restaurants, bars and parades. Jungle Scout reported that a shamrock T-shirt design brought in over $240,000 in sales on Amazon between March 1 and March 8, 2021, while unit sales were up by 39% compared to the prior year. St. Patrick’s Day necklaces, especially those with green beads, saw more than $120,000 in sales.
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