A pinch for St. Patrick's Day?

Recently I mentioned the custom of pinching people who did not wear green on St. Patrick' Day. I went online to see if I could find a reason, and I found so many that it probably means that no one really knows.

Some people claim the that custom arose in Ireland itself to punish the Irish who did not participate in the battle to keep Ireland out of the hands of the English. Others that it arose in the States among immigrants to punish any Irish who tried to conceal their national background to escape persecution.

And there is the group that blames the leprechauns. There are conflicting explanations on this score, but it seems the leprechauns only pinch those not wearing green because those wearing green to honor the saint are thereby rendered invisible to the pesky pinching little people.

At any rate, may you have a happy and pinch-free day!