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 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. In the United States the most popular event occurs in Pennsylvania and centers on a groundhog designated Punxsutawney Phil. Groundhog Day is celebrated on February 2nd and dictates that if a groundhog emerges from hibernation to see its shadow, and retreats, six more weeks of winter are ahead. This tradition may have European roots and coincides with the Christian holiday of Candlemas, which was about the purification of the Virgin Mary, but also used to indicate 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 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 Birth of Groundhog Day in Punxsutawney. The first recorded Groundhog Day celebration took place on February 2nd, 1886, in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. The event was organized by local newspaper editor Clymer Freas and a group of businessmen and groundhog hunters known as the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club. A Short History of Groundhog Day. Punxsutawney Phil is part of a tradition with roots that extend back thousands of years. Danny Lewis. February 2, 2016. In sense 2 after Groundhog Day (1993), the name of a U.S. comedy film directed by Harold Ramis and set on 2 February, in which a misanthropic television weatherman (played by Bill Murray) is mysteriously forced to live this day of his life repeatedly until he learns compassion and kindness. What is the origin of Groundhog Day? The holiday began as a Pennsylvania German custom in southeastern and central Pennsylvania in the 18th century. It turns out that the modern Groundhog Day tradition is a tale of adaptation, with its origin in a centuries-old Christian holiday. Candlemas, the Groundhog Day forerunner. Groundhog Day is rooted in the historical Christian tradition of Candlemas, about halfway between the winter solstice and the spring equinox. Conventionally, this was Annually, Groundhog Day falls on Feb. 2. More: How a tiny Texas town of 71 residents became an epicenter for Valentine's Day What is the origin of Groundhog Day? The holiday began as a On February 2, 1887, Groundhog Day, featuring a rodent meteorologist, is celebrated for the first time at Gobbler’s Knob in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania.According to tradition, if a groundhog Groundhog day originally came from an old tradition called Candlemas Day that started in the United States in 1887 in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. More Videos. Next up in 5. Groundhog Day may be one of the weirder American holidays. How did it come to be? Here is the origin story of Punxsutawney Phil and his predictions. 3 of 15 | . FILE - The groundhog saw his shadow, Feb. 2, 1954, as the sun peeked through an overcast sky at Washington Park Zoo in Milwaukee, Wis. The arrival of annual Groundhog Day celebrations Friday, Feb. 2, 2024, will draw thousands of people to see celebrity woodchuck Phil at Gobbler’s Knob in Punxsutawney, Pa. — an event that exploded in popularity after the 1993 Bill Murray movie. The yearly event, which gained enormous popularity following the 1993 Bill Murray film Groundhog Day, is anticipated to draw thousands of people.The focus will be on Gobbler's Knob in western The annual event has its origin in a German legend about a furry rodent. It roots back to Candlemas Day in Europe with the Christian "festival of lights" that falls on Feb. 2, midway between the
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