In our house every year, we create leprechaun traps to try and capture ourselves a little leprechaun and win his pot of gold. My children look forward to this tradition each and every year. Early in February, after Valentines Day has passed, they begin to discuss the mechanics of their traps and how they intend to build them this year. This year my three-year-old son wanted to dress up in a leprechaun costume to see if he could trick the leprechaun into giving him his gold. So, we set up creating the perfect leprechaun costume, hoping it might just do the trick.

In Pursuit Of A Leprechaun’s Gold

Each year my children are more convinced that this is the year that they will successfully capture a leprechaun. They begin to work together, designing and building their individual traps, working side by side as they discuss their designs. They use cardboard shoeboxes, glue, glitter, string and other arts and crafts supplies that they can find around the house, each contemplating what will be necessary to build the perfect trap. I watch the two of them in amazement; they work with such intent concentration.Â

The Leprechaun Costume Might Lead To A Leprechaun’s Gold

This year late in February the two of them decide that it just might improve their odds of capturing the local leprechaun if they each created and wore to bed their own leprechaun costumes. So, we drove to the local department store and purchased matching pairs of bright green sweats and sweatshirts. They decided that they would need orange hair gel to make their brown hair appear to be orange, “as all Leprechaun’s have orange hair”. So we buy two bottles of orange hair gel, two complete bright green sweat suits and matching socks and on the way out of the holiday section we managed to spot green sparkle “bowler” style hats that are worn by the Leprechauns, buying two on our way out.Â

March 17th Sleeping In Leprechaun Costumes

March 17th arrives and we prepare for bedtime, traps have been set in the playroom and both boys are certain that their traps will be successful. I apply the orange hair gel to their hair, thinking to myself about all the laundry I will have tomorrow. The boys are giggling with pride, so certain that they have outsmarted the leprechaun. I dress them in the bright green sweat suits and socks and tuck them into bed. We say prayers and take a few moments to discuss the possibilities of what might happen if we really do catch a real leprechaun. I kiss both of my little leprechauns goodnight, leprechaun costumes and all, and turn off the lights.

He Got Away Again…

March 18, the boys get out of bed and race out of their room. I hear them coming down the hallway to my room, waking me up to get me up to check the traps with them; I smile because I love these memories. We all walk together down the stairs, the boys are the quietest I have every heard them; they whisper that they are listening to hear the leprechaun.Â

As we walk into the room, small green footprints are seen crossing the table from one side to the other, the traps are tipped over and gold chocolate coins are spread across the traps and tabletop. “Oh Mom, he got away again this year.” I smile down at them both, “Maybe next year we will get him boys, maybe next year”.Â