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. 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 answer is in his name. The groundhog is known as Punxsutawney Phil, because the town where the Groundhog Day tradition originated is called Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. A big celebration is 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 The Pennsylvania Lottery's mascot is a groundhog named Gus, referred to in commercials as "the second most famous groundhog in Pennsylvania", in deference to Phil. [26] Because the Groundhog Club Inner Circle has trademarked the use of the name "Punxsutawney Phil", no commercial entity may use the name without the permission from the Inner Punxsutawney's famed groundhog was first officially named Phil a few years later in 1961, and records suggest it was a holdover name from the earlier Philip. 9. Punxsutawney Phil speaks groundhogese. 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 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. 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. An unusual, yet beloved holiday February 2nd is Groundhog Day, the day when a groundhog named Punxsutawney Phil predicts whether or not we will have six more weeks of winter. If he sees his shadow, more cold is on the way; if not, warmer weather is coming. While this holiday may seem like a silly tradition, it has a surprisingly deep history. Ancient Traditions 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. GROUNDHOG DAY 2024. What is the name of the groundhog used for Groundhog Day? Groundhog Day is celebrated every 2 February, across the US but there “is the only true weather forecasting groundhog. Maybe he just has a great publicist, but for far too long Punxsutawney Phil, the groundhog who predicts whether we’re in for six more weeks of wintry weather on Feb. 2 (Groundhog Day), has A groundhog has been making weather predictions in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, since 1886, but we've only been calling him "Phil" since 1961. Before that, the critter was usually just called the European Origins. The origins of Groundhog Day date back to medieval Europe. The day of 2 February corresponds with Candlemas, a Christian festival (see Religious Festivals) during which candles are lit, hence the celebration’s name. 1993 - Columbia Pictures releases the movie, "Groundhog Day," starring Bill Murray.In the years following the release of the movie, crowds numbering as high as 30,000 have visited Gobbler's Knob 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 In 2014, a mishap occurred when de Blasio dropped a stand-in groundhog named Charlotte, adding to the already dramatic history of Chuck’s Groundhog Day appearances. You probably know the holiday just by the name “Punxsutawney,” as the town shares its name with the hero of the day, the groundhog Punxsutawney Phil. Groundhog Day is most famous at Gobbler’s Knob in Punxsutawney, the site where Punxsutawney Phil leaves his burrow on the morning of Feb. 2 to predict whether we will have an early spring.
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