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 5 biggest Groundhog Day myths and misconceptions, from the history to the predictions. Published: ; Jan. 30, 2016, 12:15 p.m. 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. It is certainly possible that I have overlooked a reference. However, this Roman hedgehog lore sounds awfully like an educated guess — a myth – to explain the Groundhog Day myth’s origins. Just as European roots make an American tradition feel more, well, traditional, classical roots give it an air of auctoritas. Native American Hedgehogs Groundhog Day: Did Punxsutawney Phil see his shadow? This contradictory "darkness means spring" myth is so powerful that it crossed countries and survived centuries. The legend of the groundhog's forecasting powers arguably dates back to the early days of Christianity in Europe when clear skies on the holiday Candlemas Day, celebrated on Feb. 2, meant an 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 Punxsutawney Phil, the Groundhog Day star, is heir to hundreds of years of rodent-based weather forecasting. In Germany, the tradition morphed into a myth that if the sun came out on Candlemas The modern celebration of Groundhog Day as a holiday, dates back to the late 1800s, when a newspaper editor in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, claimed that the local groundhog, Punxsutawney Phil, was the only true weather-predicting groundhog. 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 The annual ritual has roots in pre-Christian traditions and was brought to the U.S. by In Alaska, Groundhog Day has been replaced by Marmot Day. In 2009, former U.S. Governor Sarah Palin signed a bill proclaiming Feb. 2 as Marmot Day, an Alaskan holiday that celebrates frontier life. 3. 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. These historical celebrations have made Groundhog Day what it is today. The first “modern” day Groundhog Day was February 2, 1887. It took place in the small little town of Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. It began as a prank by the newspaper and s ince that day there is a celebration that thousands of people attend every year in Groundhog Day also brings to mind the ancient Greek myth of Sisyphus, in which the eponymous anti-hero defies the gods and is punished by being sentenced to push a huge rock up a steep hill in the certain knowledge that as soon as he has succeeded, the rock will roll back down and he must start the process again. Like Murray’s character Given that Groundhog day follows the myth that: A groundhog that sees it's shadow will become frightened, seeking shelter from the upcoming chill of 6 more weeks of winter, or; A groundhog that doesn't see it's shadow is certain that a chill is not on its way Weather forecast for Punxsutawney, PA on Groundhog Day. The weather prediction for February 2, 2025 in Punxsutawney, PA calls for overcast weather with 50% possibility of rain and a high of 41° F. As the myth of Groundhog Day goes, if a groundhog sees its shadow on February 2, winter will last another six weeks. And while Punxsutawney Phil’s handlers maintain 100 percent accuracy in his In Punxsutawney, 1886 marked the first time that Groundhog Day appeared in the local newspaper. The following year brought the first official trek to Gobbler’s Knob. Each year since then has seen a steady increase in participation of the celebration from people all over the world. The first recorded mention of Groundhog Day in America dates back to 1841 when it appeared in a diary entry by James Morris. However, it wasn’t until February 2nd, 1887 when a newspaper editor named Clymer H. Freas from Punxsutawney declared Punxsutawney Phil as the official weather-forecasting groundhog. For the Greeks, the time to start planting was midway between the winter solstice and the spring equinox—around six weeks after the winter solstice, around Groundhog Day. But, for the Greeks, that day was one to celebrate—not the ugly groundhog, but the beautiful goddess Persephone, returning to earth from her conjugal bed with Hades, the
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