St. Patty's Day

Call me a party pooper, but I don't really get into St. Patty's Day.  Why, you may ask?  (You may not be, but I am going to explain it, anyway.)  :)  First, SAINT Patrick is the patron Saint of Ireland.  He was kidnapped at a young age, became a shephard, and after six years he escaped.  After he escaped, he had a vision that he was to return to where he was held captive and witness. He became a priest and soon began to convert many Irish.

So, how did this man's feast day become a day of gluttony and drunkenness?  How did cheap beer, pub crawls, and having an excuse to get as drunk as possible become the way to celebrate a feast day?

I guess it's because I don't drink (I don't judge those who do, I just don't do it myself), so I don't get the appeal of wanting to GET drunk and not remember the next day or feel like crap the next day.  I don't get the appeal of paying more for a drink just because you are out on a certain night (I feel the same way about NYE).

Maybe I'm just old, but I think it's sad that so many people have a "holiday" just to get wasted.  I think it's even more sad that it's a religious day (according to Catholics) and people celebrate it the way they do.