Beannachtam na Femle Padraig!
What color do you generally think of when St. Patrick’s Day rolls around? Green, of course. But one of the most iconic otherworldly creatures surrounding St. Pat’s is the leprechaun, and what does he covet most? Gold! What could be better than chasing after that rascally leprechaun, hoping against hope he’ll lead you to his well-hidden pot of gold? Finding all the tasty gold bargains yourself, and getting them for super cheap.
You don’t have to be a millionaire to enjoy the lure of real gold. Unlike the leprechaun (whose pot of gold by today’s standards would be worth somewhere in the vicinity of $700k – hardly a millionaire himself), most human-type creatures aren’t coveting their belongings in hidden spots, just waiting to be hypnotized into submission. However, many human beings enjoy the beauty and luster of gold; this precious metal signifies wealth and status, and adorning yourself with gold pieces says “Hey, I’m pretty successful.” Add some gems to white or yellow gold, and others will definitely take notice.
But what’s a typical citizen to do if he or she just doesn’t have that kind of disposable cash just lying around? Thanks to different techniques and super shiny metals (such as gold plating vs. solid gold and anodized titanium), looking like close to a million bucks has never been easier. And even real gemstones can be swapped for the much more reasonably-priced cubic zirconia – and no one but a trained professional will ever know the difference. Unless you tell. And just like that trickster leprechaun, you can use a shillelagh to scare off the overly-curious. Better yet, give a broad St. Patrick’s Day grin, quaff the green beverage of your choice, and party like it’s no one’s business. Go n-eirí an t-ádh leat!
