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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 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 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. 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. What is Groundhog Day, anyway? Every 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 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 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 In the Fall of 2016, The Punxsutawney Groundhog Club worked with Discovery Studios and Animal planet to create a one hour documentary called: A Groundhog Day Story: The Tale of a Marmot, His Shadow, and the People Who Protect Him. This special aired on Groundhog Day, February 2nd 2017 on the Animal Planet network! “groundhog punch.” One sip, which is administered every summer at the Groundhog Picnic, gives him seven more years of life.The spectacle of Groundhog Day is the groundhog’s interaction with its shadow. According to legend, if the groundhog sees its shadow and retreats to its burrow, then there will be six more weeks of winter. "Groundhog Day is a film that resonates with audiences on a deep level. It‘s a story about the power of self-reflection, personal growth, and the importance of living each day to the fullest." – Roger Ebert, film critic. The movie‘s popularity had a significant impact on the real-life Groundhog Day celebration in Punxsutawney. 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. ALSO SEE: The legend of the immortal Punxsutawney Phil. February 2, 1886 - The Punxsutawney Spirit newspaper proclaims this date as Pennsylvania's first official Groundhog Day celebration. 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 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 Today all across the US and Canada, many communities celebrate their own version of Groundhog Day. In Canada alone, there are a half dozen places with a Groundhog Day tradition. In French Canada the day is called Jour de la marmotte. “Fred la marmotte of Val-d’Espoir” has been the winter forecaster for the province of Quebec since 2009. When is Groundhog Day? Groundhog Day always falls on Feb. 2. This year, that's a Sunday. What does it mean if the groundhog sees his shadow? Legend has it that if the groundhog sees his shadow, we The annual event has its origin in a German legend about a furry rodent. It roots back to Candlemas Day in Europe with the Christian "festival of lights" that falls on Feb. 2, midway between the Groundhog Day is celebrated in the United States and Canada on February 2. On this day, according to tradition, people watch the behavior of a groundhog (also called a woodchuck) to find out what the weather will be like for the next six weeks. Groundhog Day, the American tradition that falls on February 2 and predicts the start of spring, has roots in Irish mythology and the pagan holiday of Imbolc.
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