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. The first official Groundhog Day celebration took place on February 2, 1887, in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. The annual ritual has roots in pre-Christian traditions and was brought to the U.S. by 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. In the United States the most popular event occurs in Pennsylvania and centers on a groundhog designated Punxsutawney Phil. In 1993, the film Groundhog Day starring Bill Murray popularised the use of the term ‘groundhog day’ to mean something that is endlessly repeated.It also popularised the event itself: after the film came out, the crowd at Gobbler’s Knob grew from around 2,000 annual attendees to a staggering 40,000, which is nearly 8 times the population of Punxsutawney. The History of Groundhog Day. The Christian religious holiday of Candlemas Day has become most commonly associated with the current celebration, but it’s roots are older than that. The celebration started in Christianity as the day, (February 2nd), when Christians would take their candles to the church to have them blessed. 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 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 is celebrated in the United States and Canada on February 2. On this day, according to tradition, people watch the behavior of a groundhog (also called a woodchuck) to find out what the weather will be like for the next six weeks. If the animal sees its shadow as it comes out of its burrow, there will be six more weeks of wintery America has been looking to Punxsutawney Phil for over 130 years to indicate whether or not we'll have a short or long winter. But Groundhog Day goes back way further than that. Here's the complete history of the holiday, as well as when it is and how Punxsutawney Phil came to be. The 1993 Harold Ramis comedy "Groundhog Day" may not have spawned the hero-caught-in-a-time-loop genre, but it certainly prodded it to life. Religious theorists have found meaning in the film. Where does the phrase ‘Groundhog Day’ come from? Groundhog Day is a quirky tradition celebrated every February 2nd. Ever wondered why we rely on a groundhog to predict the weather? Groundhog Day has deep roots in folklore and history, blending ancient customs with modern fun. This day revolves around a groundhog named Punxsutawney Phil, who emerges from his burrow to forecast the coming of Groundhog Day trivia:5 bizarre things you didn't know about this quirky tradition in Pennsylvania. Here are a few possibilities for how the significance of the shadow came to be: Here are just some of the most prominent spiritual and philosophical themes of Groundhog Day. Groundhog Day and the Meaning of Life 5 /5. Your Rating. close. 10 Our modern Groundhog Day tradition mixes elements of both, but it is in essence rooted in the weather: if it’s a sunny day, the groundhog sees its shadow, meaning a longer winter. If it’s overcast, get ready for spring. Famously, Punxsutawney Phil is only accurate ~40% of the time, meaning that Groundhog Day isn’t really about reliable Groundhog Day (1993) is a comic parable about Phil, a TV weatherman who in one long day's journey of the soul moves from cynicism to compassion. His narrow escape into faith is signified by waking up, the beginning of all true spirituality. The other day I tried to explain to my kids the meaning of Groundhog Day. It got weird. I tried to explain the facts as I understand them: that on February 2nd, if the groundhog emerges from its there is no movie like The Groundhog Day, but there is uncountable films based on the same premise. Someone who repeats their day or is stuck in a time loop over and over again. We leave you the two most worthwhile in my opinion. Of course, the genre is completely different, only the premise is the same. At the edge of tomorrow (2014 PUNXSUTAWNEY, Pa. – Groundhog Day is on Feb. 2, but the yearly tradition of watching a groundhog one day a year is about much more than predicting the timeliness of spring. Punxsutawney Phil emerging from the ground is also about Americans seeing or not seeing the shadow of the oldest known indigenous tribe in the United States.
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