Today is the day that we move into more light than dark. A time for celebration and the promise of abounding fertility. A time when the birds start to lay eggs again, the buds on the trees are swollen and bursting, the blackthorn is in flower even before its leaves are out and the daffodils are shining like mini suns in the grass.
Nothing personal Penthasillia but merely because you mention it, we never celebrate St. Patrick's day because here in the UK it is a) just an excuse for drunken and rowdy behaviour and b) St. Patrick was the Christian who banished the Pagans or Druids (snakes) from Ireland, so as a Pagan, not exactly something I agree with or want to celebrate. As I say, not a slight at you but merely a comment since you had mentioned it.
We do, however make pace eggs (hardboiled eggs wrapped in onion skins which sort of tie-dye the eggs into lovely brown and pink colours) then roll them down a hill and whoever's egg survives wins. Then we all eat them Yummy.
The Camellias are out at this time of year too and there are several legends linking them to beautiful but heartless women turned into flowers because they did not deserve to be women any longer. This symbol fits in with not allowing the depressive or dark thoughts which winter (or any time of darkness and depression) turn our hearts cold. No matter what problems we have had, turning our whole being to the sun and being beautiful from the inside is more important.
The blackthorn is also a key symbol of awakening and giving with no thought to oneself at this time of year. It puts its beautiful and delicate white flowers out before its leaves, using up valuable stores of energy from it's roots to do so but it offers some of the only nectar available at this time of year to feed some of the first pollinating insects (and consequently the hedgerow birds who are nesting). At the Spring Equinox it is known as 'Mother of the Woods'. More information
HERE
I get the fun part!