Uncover the history of Groundhog Day and why a groundhog predicts the end of Settlers from Germany began using the groundhog when they came to the United States as they are more common in the The first official Groundhog Day took place on February 2, 1887, in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. The event took up permanent residence at Gobbler’s Knob the following year. Groundhog Day has been celebrated in the United States since at least February 2, 1886. Starting in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, with its now-famous groundhog, Punxsutawney Phil, the tradition spread throughout America. It is now celebrated all over, and not just with groundhogs. Groundhog Club handler A.J. Dereume holds Punxsutawney Phil, the weather prognosticating groundhog, during the 136th celebration of Groundhog Day on Gobbler's Knob in Punxsutawney, Pa., Wednesday Feb. 2, 1887: Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, holds its first Groundhog Day celebration When Punxsutawneyans gathered on a hilltop known as Gobbler’s Knob on this day, Feb. 2, in 1887, they did 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, 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. They began using groundhogs (also known as woodchucks) because they were local to the area. Punxsutawney Phil . In the 1880s, Clymer H. Freas, the editor of the Punxsutawney Spirit newspaper, had the idea to make Groundhog Day a formal holiday, and naming Punxsutawney Phil as the official weather-predicting groundhog. German settlers arriving in the U.S. quickly found out there were no badgers in Pennsylvania, so they went with the groundhog instead. The real reason the groundhog comes out on February 2 has When German immigrants settled Pennsylvania in the 18th and 19th centuries, they brought the custom with them, choosing the native groundhog as the annual forecaster. First Groundhog Day This Day Do I have to use cardstock for the groundhog puppet? Cardstock is nice and sturdy, but you can also use construction paper to make your puppet. Or you can even colour in the printed template with crayons, markers, or pencil crayons. You can also cut the groundhog puppet from craft foam or felt. How can I make a snowy scene for my groundhog puppet? Updated February 2, 2024 at 8:19 AM ET. On Friday morning, thousands of early risers either tuned in or bundled up to watch Punxsutawney Phil emerge from a tree stump and predict the weather. These Groundhog Day coloring pages are so cute, filled with groundhogs in all kinds of fun scenarios. Plus they’re all free for you to download and print! Use our printable coloring pages for libraries, classrooms, birthday parties, or any time you want to color this fun collection of groundhog color pages. RELATED: Groundhog Pop-Up Craft If your students enjoyed the groundhog shape matching, they might get a kick out of these ideas, too: Paper Plate Groundhog Craft; Groundhog Day Pancakes; Groundhog Finger Puppet Craft; Or do you already have a few favorite groundhog ideas up your sleeve? 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. Use this Groundhog's Day Dot Marker Printable to help kids learn more. They’re great for do-a-dot pages and also for other art activities. Do A Dot Art! Markers Groundhog Day’s roots are in the Christian holiday but when German immigrants arrived in Pennsylvania, they instead used groundhogs to make the forecast instead. 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 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. Plus, there are many other signals in nature traditionally used by Hawaiians to determine when to fish or harvest or travel by canoe: length of days, stars in the sky, position of the sun, direction of the swell, plants in bloom. Nevertheless, we have some good suggestions for enjoying the tradition of Groundhog Day.
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