My kids always get so excited for St. Patrick's Day because of this magic treasure box. The day before St. Patrick's Day I read my kids the legend of the leprechauns (below) and let them decorate a box. After they have finished decorating it then we put it on a windowsill where the the moon will shine on it.
In the morning there is a trail of greenery left behind from the leprechauns from the windowsill to where they hid the magic treasure box. (I used shiny shamrock confetti)
I usually put in a bunch of quarters and gold dollar coins. I had picked up $10 of gold coins from the bank and couldn't find where I put them so this year I ended up having to use a $5 bill and 4 quarters because that is all we had on hand. I am hoping to find the gold coins before next year.LEGEND OF THE LEPRECHAUNS (from Family Fun)
Full of magic and trickery, the leprechauns remain in their hidden world until the night before St. Patrick's Day. On that one night of the year they appear throughout the world to dance and sing and frolic.
Disguising themselves as leaves and grass, and sounding like the wind and the crickets, they come and go unnoticed.
However, it is said that if a decorated treasure box is left empty under the moon, the leprechauns must fill the box with gold or jewels or gifts. But then they will hide the filled box in the most unlikely of places.
If the box is found on St. Patrick's Day, the treasure remains in our world. If not, the leprechauns may retrieve what is rightfully theirs. And though the leprechauns are very clever, it is not impossible to find the treasure because, unknowingly, leprechauns often leave a trail of greenery behind them.
