This week's Family Dinner Table Talk, from HuffPost and The Family Dinner book:
Topic: St. Patrick's Day
Story to read: St. Patrick's Day History: What You Need To Know
What to say to your kids: This coming Monday, March 17, is St. Patrick's Day -- a holiday commemorating the patron saint of Ireland. Patrick was born in England, but worked as a missionary in Ireland, teaching the people there about Christianity. On St. Patrick's Day, we celebrate Irish culture with parades and traditions such as wearing the color green. You'll see plenty of shamrocks and leprechauns -- symbols of Irish culture -- too.
Questions for discussion:
- Do any of your ancestors come from Ireland?
- Will you do anything to celebrate St. Patrick's Day?
- If you're not Irish, why do you think it's important to celebrate other people's cultures?
In her cookbook, The Family Dinner, Laurie David talks about the importance of families making a ritual of sitting down to dinner together, and how family dinners offer a great opportunity for meaningful discussions about the day's news. "Dinner," she says, "is as much about digestible conversation as it is about delicious food."
We couldn't agree more. So HuffPost has joined with Laurie and every Friday afternoon, just in time for dinner, our editors highlight one of the most compelling news stories of the week -- stories that will spark a lively discussion among the whole family.