german tradition of groundhog day xena groundhog day

It was 1961 before the groundhog was dubbed “Punxsutawney Phil” and the tradition began to attract a wider audience of about 2,000 people. But the biggest change came following the 1993 Groundhog Day movie starring Bill Murray and Andie MacDowell (German title: Und täglich grüßt das Murmeltier). The crowds soon swelled to 10,000. Groundhog Day (Pennsylvania German: Grund'sau dåk, Grundsaudaag, Grundsow Dawg, Murmeltiertag; Nova Scotia: Daks Day) [1] [2] [3] is a tradition observed regionally in the United States and Canada on February 2 of every year. Groundhog Day a German Tradition of predicting weather with a fuzzy, burrowing animal, is a tradition rooted in history. Groundhog Day- German Tradition of predicting weather with an animal, is a tradition rooted in history and brought to the US by German Immigrants. The Groundhog Day tradition dates back to Germany where a badger was used to determine the coming of spring. DamianKuzdak/Getty Images. Places like Missouri, Illinois, Michigan and Wisconsin have The Groundhog Day tradition itself, with its roots in German Candlemas celebrations, adds a layer of historical intrigue, reminding us of how ancient customs evolve and intertwine with modern narratives. But Groundhog Day’s magic truly lies in its cyclical nature. You say Groundhog Day, I say Grundsaudaag: how German and Swiss settlers in Pennsylvania created a new language – and a much-loved American holiday. Across the US, the quirky tradition is The Pennsylvania Groundhog Club claims that Phil is 132 years old and that he “gets his longevity from drinking ‘groundhog punch.’” We’re happy to know that German settlers brought both a fun tradition and the secret of longevity to the United States! Happy Groundhog Day. By Nicole Glass, German Embassy February 2 is Groundhog Day in the U.S. and Canada, though probably everybody in the world knows about this weather-predicting custom since the movie Groundhog Day (Und täglich grüßt das Murmeltier) with Bill Murray and Andie MacDowell came out in 1993. But I would bet few know of the German origins of this weather lore day. What is Groundhog Day? Every year on February 2 in the Feb. 2 is one of the quirkiest and most whimsical traditions celebrated in North America – Groundhog Day! The holiday finds its roots in a German tradition that dates back to the 18th century. The legend goes that if a hibernating animal, often a Badger or a “Dachstag” in German, saw its shadow on Candlemas Day, then there would be six "Groundhogs and hedgehogs share many similarities in their hibernation patterns and behavior, so it‘s not surprising that German settlers saw the groundhog as a natural fit for their weather divination traditions." – Dr. Franz Müller, German folklore expert. The Birth of Groundhog Day in Punxsutawney. The first recorded Groundhog Day It's a tradition that began with German settlers in Pennsylvania, based on a German custom involving a hedgehog seeing its shadow. Since there were no hedgehogs in America, German immigrants used native hedgehogs instead, according to Punxsutawney Groundhog Club. It wasn’t until this traditional belief was introduced to Germany that an animal was introduced into the lore, hence another evolution of February 2nd. If, according to German lore, the hedgehog saw his shadow on Candlemas Day there would be a “Second Winter” or 6 more weeks of bad weather. Feb. 2 is also known as St. Brigid's Day, mixing figures from pagan traditions and Christian beliefs. In Europe, groundhogs weren't the animal of choice for the festival, according to the almanac. The groundhog is known as Punxsutawney Phil, because the town where the Groundhog Day tradition originated is called Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. A big celebration is still held in the town to this It is also known as St. Brigid’s Day. German settlers brought the tradition to America, according to the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club. While the Groundhog Day tradition as we know it today Groundhog Day originated from an ancient European tradition called Candlemas Day, where clergy would bless candles and distribute them to ward off the darkness of winter. The first official Groundhog Day celebration took place on February 2, 1887, in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. For as long as I can remember, I, along with my fellow Americans, have anxiously awaited Punxsutawney Phil’s all-knowing weather prediction every February 2nd. Will we suffer through six more weeks of winter or is a beautiful spring finally on the horizon? To be honest, I’ve never given much thought to where this tradition came from. [] 1. Groundhog Day has its roots in Germany. Groundhog Day’s roots trace back to German traditions brought by Pennsylvania Dutch immigrants. Originating from Candlemas, celebrated on February 2, it was believed that if a badger saw its shadow, winter would last four more weeks. As has been discussed, the Groundhog Day tradition is related to the ancient German belief re: Lichtmesse and the badger re: seasons etc. Thus the idea is a spin off from the original German and represents a cultural continuity of sorts. Now for the interesting info.

german tradition of groundhog day xena groundhog day
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