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 Groundhog Day By Numbers. 1841 – A storekeeper named James Morris wrote and marked the date February 2 as Candlemas Day. 40,000 – The number of people who attend the Groundhog Day celebration in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. 1886 – The year the first Groundhog Day was held in Punxsutawney. 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 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 E very year on February 2, crowds gather at Gobbler’s Knob in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, to watch a groundhog emerge for the day—just like in the classic Bill Murray film Groundhog Day. You 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. The beginning of February, which falls roughly halfway between the winter solstice and the spring equinox , has long been a significant time of the year in many 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 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. According to experts, groundhogs in the wild can live up to six years, but two-to-three years is the average. In captivity, groundhogs have reportedly lived up to 14 years. So it's a safe bet the More than 30,000 people attend the event each year, In 2024, Phil predicted we would see an early spring. According to groundhog-day.com, nearly all the American groundhogs also predicted an File photo: Groundhog handler William Deeley holds up Punxsutawney Phil on January 30, 2001 during a visit to Manhattan. The famous groundhow was in town to make media appearances in preparation Why, then, do we continue looking to creatures for answers on Feb. 2, year after year after year? (One could say it's almost like the 1993 comedy "Groundhog Day" or even exactly like that.) There's still a lot we can learn from Groundhog Day, both about our climate and our culture, several experts told NPR. Celebrated on February 2 each year, Groundhog Day is one of America’s long-standing traditions. It is mostly an American and Canadian holiday with German and Dutch roots. On this day, millions of viewers tune in to see Punxsutawney Phil’s weather report each year. But what is this holiday all about and how do we celebrate it? German roots Groundhog Day is celebrated in Canada and the United States every year on 2 February. Legend has it that watching a groundhog emerge from its burrow can determine the weather forecast for the coming weeks. Why Do We Celebrate Groundhog Day? By Rebecka Schumann Published 02/01/14 AT 10:39 AM EST. Pa., day in and day out, has increased the celebration's attendance in recent years, with up to 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. Groundhog Day is celebrated Feb. 2 every year because it is the midpoint between the winter solstice and spring equinox. We use Punxsutawney Phil to determine the weather forecast based on his shadow. File photo: Groundhog handler William Deeley holds up Punxsutawney Phil on January 30, 2001 during a visit to Manhattan. The famous groundhow was in town to make media appearances in preparation File photo: Groundhog handler William Deeley holds up Punxsutawney Phil on January 30, 2001 during a visit to Manhattan. The famous groundhow was in town to make media appearances in preparation 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
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