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Groundhog Day has been celebrated in
Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, since 1886. It is an American
tradition that supposedly
predicts when spring will arrive. Yes! Punxsutawney Phil is the
only true weather forecasting groundhog. The others are just
imposters.
According to legend, the groundhog, also called the woodchuck,
awakens from its winter sleep on February 2 and comes out from
its burrow on Gobbler’s Knob – in front of thousands of
followers from all over the world – to predict the weather for
the rest of winter. If Phil sees his shadow, there will be six
more weeks of winter weather. But if it is cloudy, and he does
not see his shadow, there will be an early spring. Phil speaks
to the Groundhog Club president in “Groundhogese” (a language
only understood by the current president). His proclamation is
then translated for the world.
For hundreds of years, European farmers had similar traditions
that involved bears, badgers, and other animals. The celebration
of Groundhog Day began with the Germans who were Pennsylvania’s
earliest settlers. They brought with them the legend of
Candlemas Day, which states, “For as the sun shines on Candlemas
Day, so far will the snow swirl in May … ” The groundhog, which
is plentiful in the Eastern and Midwestern United States, became
linked with the custom. Today, Groundhog Day is treated largely
as a joke, but the custom is partly based on ancient and
traditional weather signs. People have long looked to the
awakening of hibernating animals, such as bears, as one of the
first signs of spring.
Here are some materials found in your local library about
Groundhog Day |
