St. Patrick’s, St. Gertrude’s & Tea for Two Day: March 17th Triple Holiday

March 17th is pulling triple duty this year, and if you’re a cat lover, this one’s especially for you.
Most people know it as St. Patrick’s Day — shamrocks, green everything, and a celebration of Irish heritage going back centuries.

The Irish have always had something wise to say about cats, too. As the old Irish proverb goes: “Beware of people who dislike cats.” On that, we couldn’t agree more.

St. Gertrude of Nivelles Day honors the 7th-century Belgian abbess who became the patron saint of cats (and travelers, and gardeners).

Cats were said to gather around her, drawn to her gentle energy — so if your cat is acting particularly regal today, now you know why.

We have posted every possible exploration of cats, St. Patrick’s Day and all things Irish since 2011 from vintage cards, original art to limericks. Do a search for St.Patrick’s Day and you might find a pot of gold like this Feline LUCKY

And then there’s Tea for Two Tuesday — celebrated every year on the third Tuesday of March, and this year it falls right on the 17th. The holiday is a relatively new one, created in 2016 by the tea lovers at Holiday Insights, who felt it was long past time tea had its own day.

But the tradition it honors goes back much further. In the late 1840s, the Duchess of Bedford introduced afternoon tea because she grew hungry between the two daily meals of the time — and naturally, she shared it with friends.

That spirit of sharing is still at the heart of it. Tea for Two Tuesday is an invitation to slow down, put the kettle on, and spend a quiet moment with someone you love. For us, that someone usually has four legs and strong opinions about where to sit.

So today we’re raising a cup to St. Gertrude, wishing everyone a happy St. Patrick’s Day, and celebrating the simple pleasure of tea shared with a cat — or two, or five.
How are your cats marking the occasion?