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 Originally, Groundhog Day was a Celtic festival marking the year’s first cross-quarter day, or a midpoint between seasons. Read more about the ancient Celtic calendar here. Celebrated at the beginning of February, the day was called Imbolc —a term from Old Irish that is most often translated as “in the belly”—a reference to the soon Groundhog Day is almost here: What to know about the rodent, the shadow, and the weather Punxsutawney Phil is the most famous weather-predicting rodent, but he apparently isn't the most accurate. 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. 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 Groundhog Day is a US and Canadian tradition that dates back to ancient Celtic and German folklore. It involves a groundhog predicting the weather based on whether it sees its shadow on 2 February. 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 A Groundhog is a small, furry animal that looks like a mixture of a squirrel and a badger. According to the tradition, each year one of the furry creatures can predict when spring will arrive. 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. 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 When is Groundhog Day 2025? Groundhog Day will take place Sunday, Feb. 2, 2025. Thousands will show up in person, with the grounds to Gobblers Knob opening at 4 a.m., and millions will tune in to see if Punxsutawney Phil will see his shadow. More: Where to watch Bill Murray's 1993 classic movie 'Groundhog Day' for Groundhog Day. What is When is Groundhog Day? Groundhog Day is Sunday, Feb. 2. Where is the groundhog from? The answer is in his name. The groundhog is known as Punxsutawney Phil, because the town where the Groundhog The origins of Gound Hog Day dates back to 1886 when a group of groundhog hunters from Punxsutawney dubbed themselves “The Punxsutawney Groundhog Club” and began promoting Phil was the nations When is Groundhog Day 2025? Groundhog Day is celebrated every year on Feb. 2. This year, it falls on a Sunday. How is 'Punxsutawney' pronounced? Punxsutawney Phil is named after a borough in Groundhog Day is Sunday, and now is a good time to familiarize yourself before you check out the annual weather forecasting festivals in New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania. Here's what you need Here's when Groundhog Day began: The first mention of Groundhog Day came in 1886 in Punxsutawney. Over the years, several other locations have begun using their own groundhog, including General In the American tradition of Groundhog Day, the nation’s groundhog prognosticators take a stance on the season ahead. If the groundhog sees his shadow, he predicts six more weeks of winter. 10. Did the Groundhog catch some fog the other day? No, he mist. 11. What did Obi-Wan say to Groundhog? If every day feels like Groundhog Day, maybe it’s time to paws and reflect! 12. Why is Punxsutawney Phil always cold? Because he has many fans. 13. When does a groundhog come before a woodchuck? In the dictionary. Groundhog Day, Feb. 2, is coming up, and soon Punxsutawney Phil will tell us what to expect from the weeks to come. The holiday dates back hundreds of years, and has grown to be a widely The Groundhog Day celebration at Gobbler's Knob started in 1887. Aside from a 10-year gap, records for each prognostication have been meticulously kept. Over the years, Phil has predicted six more
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