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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. 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 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. Every 2 February since at least 1886 , people have been gathering in the Pennsylvanian town of Punxsutawney to watch a groundhog – a furry rodent – crawl out of a hole after its winter sleep. 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 "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 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 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. 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. 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 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 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. The Hummelstown Groundhog Day celebration in Dauphin County is a charming, small-town event that highlights community spirit and Pennsylvania’s beloved Groundhog Day tradition. Every year on 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. In other words, the Groundhog Day tradition may have begun as a bit of folk humor. Famous prognosticators and predictions. Towns throughout North America are known to have winter-predicting groundhogs. The most famous is Punxsutawney Phil of Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania (immortalized in the movie Groundhog Day). When the Germans came to America in the 1700s and settled in Pennsylvania, they brought their tradition of Candlemas and introduced the tradition of an animal seeing its shadow into the prediction of the weather on that day. In Germany, a badger had been used, but a suitable replacement in America was the groundhog.
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