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 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. An unusual, yet beloved holiday February 2nd is Groundhog Day, the day when a groundhog named Punxsutawney Phil predicts whether or not we will have six more weeks of winter. If he sees his shadow, more cold is on the way; if not, warmer weather is coming. While this holiday may seem like a silly tradition, it has a surprisingly deep history. Ancient Traditions In Alaska, instead of a groundhog, they use a marmot to predict the weather on February 2nd. The Punxsutawney Groundhog Club's Inner Circle, a group of local dignitaries, is responsible for caring for Phil and organizing the annual event. Groundhog Day in Pop Culture. Groundhog Day has made its mark in pop culture, thanks to movies, TV shows (They supposedly speak to the groundhog in “Groundhogese.”) Every February 2, tens of thousands of spectators attend Groundhog Day events in Punxsutawney, a borough that’s home to some 6,000 When Punxsutawneyans gathered on a hilltop known as Gobbler’s Knob on this day, Feb. 2, in 1887, they did so not just to celebrate the weather-forecasting wizardry of the groundhog — the German settlers arriving in the U.S. quickly found out there were no badgers in Pennsylvania, so they went with the groundhog instead. The real reason the groundhog comes out on February 2 has 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 Groundhog Day, in the United States and Canada, day (February 2) on which the emergence of the groundhog from its burrow is said to foretell the weather for the following six weeks. The beginning of February, which falls roughly halfway between the winter solstice and the spring equinox , has long been a significant time of the year in many The movie‘s popularity had a significant impact on the real-life Groundhog Day celebration in Punxsutawney. Attendance at the event soared in the years following the film‘s release, with crowds growing from around 2,000 in the early 1990s to over 40,000 in recent years. The Enduring Appeal of Groundhog Day Feb. 2 is the 139th celebration of Groundhog Day. Some folks believe if Punxsutawney Phil sees his shadow, we will have six more weeks of winter, and if he does not see his shadow, winter will end Legends and myths aside, a groundhog’s real talent is for digging. “They can move a lot of dirt really quickly,” said Lehrer. “They have long claws and very powerful, strong muscular legs.” Less adept species, like possums, rely on groundhogs’ skills and take shelter in the burrow systems groundhogs excavate. What is your favorite Groundhog Day book? 4. Search for Shadows and Words . Teri, from A Cupcake for the Teacher, is a teacher who celebrates Groundhog Day with her class through word searches and surveys to see how many students think the Groundhog will see its shadow. Check out her free printable word search on her blog. 5. Peak-A-Boo Groundhog The Pennsylvania Lottery's mascot is a groundhog named Gus, referred to in commercials as "the second most famous groundhog in Pennsylvania", in deference to Phil. [26] Because the Groundhog Club Inner Circle has trademarked the use of the name "Punxsutawney Phil", no commercial entity may use the name without the permission from the Inner As the most famous Groundhog Day celebration in the world, you might be able to assume that the ceremony at Gobbler’s Knob is not the only event Punxsutawney hosts for Groundhog Day. Indeed, there will be numerous events and activities throughout the week leading up to 2025 Groundhog Day, like brewery parties, a talent show, and a bar crawl. New Jersey has long had its own groundhog - and celebrated its very own Groundhog Day. Like everything else, we went our own way! But back in 2021, that Jersey groundhog - Milltown Mel, um, well, died. It is now 2025 and ol' Mel is still dead. The problem is - there was no backup for Mel. No reserve groundhog, no backup groundhog. In a Jan. 20 statement, PETA announced that it has offered the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club a free vegan cake every year if it allows Punxsutawney Phil to retire. Every February 2 since 1887, a groundhog named Phil has made an appearance before a group of tuxedo- and top hat–wearing local gentlemen in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania.In earlier decades, the Groundhogs are diurnal mammals, which means they do all their activity during the daylight hours. Groundhog Habitat: Where Do Groundhogs Live? Groundhogs live in underground burrows in open fields that edge against forests to the north and east of the great plains. They also occur in similar habitats in the northwest. As the myth of Groundhog Day goes, if a groundhog sees its shadow on February 2, winter will last another six weeks. And while Punxsutawney Phil’s handlers maintain 100 percent accuracy in his
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