On this day, Christians would bring candles to the church to be blessed and lighted. The candles symbolized the hope of spring and the return of light. In Germany, Candlemas Day was also associated with an animal’s prediction of the weather. However, instead of a groundhog, they used a hedgehog. The observance of Groundhog Day in the United States first occurred in German communities in Pennsylvania, according to known records. The earliest mention of Groundhog Day is an entry on February 2, 1840, in the diary of James L. Morris of Morgantown, in Pennsylvania Dutch Country, according to the book on the subject by Don Yoder. This was a The US tradition of the groundhog Punxsutawney Phil emerging on 2 February to herald spring has fascinating origins – and creature parallels across Europe. Groundhog Day is a widely celebrated tradition in North America, particularly in the United States and Canada. Every year on February 2nd, people eagerly await the emergence of a groundhog from its burrow to predict the arrival of spring. However, this unique holiday is not limited to just these two countries. A Groundhog is a small, furry animal that looks like a mixture of a squirrel and a badger. According to the tradition, each year one of the furry creatures can predict when spring will arrive. Groundhog Day, the US tradition where the seasons are predicted by a groundhog, was made world famous by the Bill Murray film of the same name. But did you know the tradition's origins lie in Europe? See how the groundhog became a symbol for predicting seasonal changes in America, rooted in German folklore with a badger — which in turn lead to Groundhog Day. The first Groundhog Day celebration dates back to 2 February, 1887. Jump to content. US Edition Change. UK Edition the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club’s Inner Circle maintains they have been Key points. Groundhog Day evolved from religious and secular traditions aimed at providing hope amidst unpredictability. Despite technological advances, psychologically, we are still beholden to Sand Mountain Sam: People in Alabama celebrate Groundhog Day by referring to Sand Mountain Sam, who just happens to be an opossum. Jimmy the Groundhog: Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, has been calling itself “The Groundhog Capital of the World” since 1948, when it was a way to commemorate Wisconsin’s centennial year. Before the movie Groundhog Day, around 2,000 people would come to Punxsutawney to see Phil, but after it was released in 1993 it has pulled crowds of up to 40,000. After the ceremony, people If you ask the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club, the same old Phil has been calling the weather like he sees it for the past 129 years. But why do we celebrate Groundhog Day anyway? It seems a little To celebrate Groundhog Day, which is on February 2nd every year, try baking cookies shaped like groundhogs or making cupcakes with groundhog faces on them. You could also make your own groundhog mask out of cardstock and wear it throughout the day. Most of us know the tradition: on February 2, our old friend the groundhog will emerge from hibernation, come out of his den, and predict whether winter will deliver more cold weather this year. If the groundhog sees his shadow, the story goes, cold weather will persist another few weeks. If not, warm weather is around the corner. If you like the folklore of holidays, you may be interested to The Knob will be open February 1, the day BEFORE Groundhog Day, until 4:00pm. The Knob closes to vehicular and pedestrian traffic for site and festivity preparation. The Knob opens back up to vehicular traffic on February 2 nd around 10 am, after all buses have transported visitors off the Knob. Groundhog Day is perhaps one of the Pennsylvania Dutch community's most well-known cultural inventions – although the Amish themselves do not celebrate it, since it is not a religious holiday. Updated February 2, 2024 at 8:19 AM ET. On Friday morning, thousands of early risers either tuned in or bundled up to watch Punxsutawney Phil emerge from a tree stump and predict the weather. That said, the federal government does officially define 10 other days as “holidays” — Christmas, New Year’s Day, Good Friday, Easter, Labour Day, the Queen’s birthday, Canada Day, Thanksgiving, Remembrance Day, and Truth and Reconciliation Day — in recognition of the fact that these days are public holidays in most provinces. Most File photo: Groundhog handler William Deeley holds up Punxsutawney Phil on January 30, 2001 during a visit to Manhattan. The famous groundhow was in town to make media appearances in preparation Check out the Groundhog Day celebration featured in the classic 1993 film of the same name starring Bill Murray. Attendees gather to see area groundhog Woodstoc
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