Groundhog Day
Groundhog’s Day is a tradition in the United States and Canada. It lands on the day February 2 of every year. The origin of this holiday comes from a diary entry written in 1840. If the Groundhog can see it’s shadow, winter will last for six weeks.
Clymer who’s a newspaper editor created the day he was a part of a hunting club called the Punxsutawney Club. As well as that, Groundhogs goes on hibernation and comes out on February 2 to determine if winter is still going on. The tradition started in Europe as Candlemas Day by the middle of the 5th century. The tradition occurs every year on February 2 since the 16th century.
Mid-West
The Slumbering Groundhog Lodge, originating in 1907. Here they carried out the ceremonies, taking place in Quarryville, Pennsylvania. It was contending rival to Punxsutawney over the fame. Southeastern Pennsylvania celebrates the day with a Fersommlinge.
In the Midwest, Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, is a self-proclaimed “Groundhog Capital of the World.” Buckeye Chuck, Ohio’s official State Groundhog is one of two weather predicting groundhogs.
Day time
An annual tradition in North America, is on February 2. The most well-known event is in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, where Punxsutawney Phil, a groundhog, is supposedly to be able to foretell the weather for the upcoming week.
Subsequently, there will be six more weeks of winter, so the story goes, if the groundhog emerges from its hole and sees its shadow. It will receive an early spring if it doesn’t see its shadow.
Movie
Apart from its ability to foretell the weather, the tradition has major cultural significance and is frequently brought up in pop culture. The 1993 movie “Groundhog Day,” which starred Bill Murray, told the story of a man who repeats the same day over and again, has also helped to popularize the holiday.
Now, the term is used to allude to circumstances. Especially, when things appear to keep repeating themselves indefinitely.
Origins
The origins of the event go all the way back to meteorological lore from ancient Europe, which held that specific animals could foresee the weather.
In the United States, the custom of use a groundhog to forecast the weather dates back to the 1800s. In Punxsutawney, the event is organized by the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club, which was established in 1887.
By Thamara Dunlap
Sources:
Wikipedia – Groundhog Day
History – Groundhog Day: History and Facts by History.com Staff
Top and featured image Courtesy of Anthony Quintano’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
Inset image Courtesy of Howderfamily.com’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
