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Photo: Getty Images / Ailbhe O’Donnell
Last year, as bars and restaurants around the U.S. shut down in mid-March because of coronavirus restrictions, I missed my annual tradition of going out to an Irish bar for a pint of Guinness to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. And while I am still not going to bars, I plan to pick up some cans of Guinness to raise a glass this year, and I’ll be remotely toasting my mom, siblings and extended family.
When it comes to drinking a glass of Guinness for the holiday (or just for the hell of it), I feel a connection to Ireland, but even more strongly I feel a bond with my immediate family. We all love a good pint—or a small glass, in the case of the lightweights like my Mom—and I have many fond memories of sharing Guinness with them.
Because we’re spread out all over the country, I haven’t seen any of those family members in person in over a year, so it’ll be a somewhat bittersweet pint and a virtual toast. But being separated from my loved ones makes honoring family traditions seem more important than ever, and a virtual toast with a can—rather than a hand-pulled pint—of stout is better than no toast at all.Sláinteto you and yours this St. Patrick’s Day—and here’s hoping we’ll all be safely raising a glass in person with those we love in the not-too-distant future.
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