Australians and Irish folk have a lot in common — we all like to raise a glass on our national holidays! But there are ways to celebrate without getting a hangover the next day. Our guide to going green is so much fun, you won’t even notice there’s no alcohol involved.

A toast to your health

Irish parties are all about the craic, that is, just having a really good time. When alcohol is optional, try these tasty, healthy alternatives:

Turn your morning wake-me-up drink green with matcha. It’s a special green tea which can have almost half as much caffeine as a cup of coffee. Packed full of antioxidants, it can reduce stress and boost your immune system.

Get an extra hit of veggies with this delicious combination of mint, cucumber and coconut water. It will give you lots of energy — your insides will thank you!

Featuring a showcase of strong flavours, this drink is so pretty and delicious even the wine-drinkers will swap their wine glass for a highball.

All the flavours of a classic mojito, without any of the nasty, hangover-inducing accompaniments. The mint will refresh you, while the brown sugar will have you dancing on the tables.

May your sweet treats be healthy

It wouldn’t be a party without a few treats. These delicious, green sweets sound too good to be healthy:

Healthy ingredients like avocado, mint and lime tick all the green boxes, but a decent amount of condensed milk brings all the sweetness you would expect from ice cream.

If it weren’t for the fact that these muffins come out bright green, you would never know how much spinach goes into these muffins.

These delicious protein balls come out bright green and will add colour to the table on St Patrick’s Day.

Staying sober instead of chasing snakes

The Irish have more ways to describe being drunk than the Inuit’s have words for snow. ‘Chasing snakes’, ‘getting huffle-puffed’ or ‘Blarney-stoned’ are amongst the funniest.

If you prefer not to drink, the best way to have a proper St Patrick’s craic is to create your own:

• Turn green all over — 17 March is the one day of the year it’s totally fine to wear all the green clothing you have, at the same time.
• Eat like the Irish — feast on corned beef and cabbage, or potato pancakes, and finish off with some Irish Tea Cake.
• Get kitsch in your kitchen — make shamrock-shaped cookies, dye your breakfast oatmeal green or track down a packet of Lucky Charms cereal.
• Invite the (figurative) Irish into your house — Immerse yourself in the worlds described by famous Irish authors like Patrick McCabe, Marian Keyes, Frank McCourt or Maeve Binchy. Discover the candour and courage of Irish characters in films like The Commitments, In the Name of the Father, My Left Foot or Waking Ned Devine.

Irish culture is about history, tradition and enjoying good company. Alcohol plays second fiddle, when we’re surrounded by people we love.