St. Paddy’s Day Adds Green to the Economy
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St. Paddy’s Day Adds Green to the Economy

REUTERS/Jim Young

Those “Kiss Me, I’m Irish” buttons may be more valuable than you think.

Americans planned to shell out $4.8 billion to enjoy St. Patrick’s Day this year, reports the National Retail Federation. Proving you don’t have to be Irish to fete the Emerald Isle’s patron saint, 133 million Americans (54 percent) intended to celebrate the holiday, while just 34.1 million U.S. residents claim to have Irish ancestry. (Ireland itself has a population of 4.6 million.)

Individuals planned to spend $35 each, about the same amount planned last year. That’s a small sum compared to other consumer holidays, like Valentine’s Day and Easter, but enough to increase traffic to grocery stores, restaurants and stores selling green clothing and accessories.

By comparison, Americans planned to spend $133 each on Valentine’s Day and last year planned to spend $145 each on Easter.

Related: How to Keep Beef Prices from Busting Your Budget

The holiday is most popular among millennials, with more than three-quarters of those ages 18-24 planning to celebrate and 90 percent planning to wear something green today.

Overall, eight in 10 Americans said they’d wear green this year and 20 percent planned to decorate their home or office for the holiday. A third of those surveyed said they’d make a special dinner, while 31 percent planned to attend a party at a bar or restaurant.

Actual spending may come in slightly lower this year, given the snow storm that dumped a half foot of snow or more throughout parts of the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions.

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