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 Where does the phrase ‘Groundhog Day’ come from? 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. In 1993, the film Groundhog Day starring Bill Murray popularised the use of the term ‘groundhog day’ to mean something that is endlessly repeated.It also popularised the event itself: after the film came out, the crowd at Gobbler’s Knob grew from around 2,000 annual attendees to a staggering 40,000, which is nearly 8 times the population of Punxsutawney. 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 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 Every year, on 2 February, a crowd gathers in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania (and other cities around the world) to see whether a rodent named Phil will emerge from a hole in the ground.If the "Groundhog Day is a reminder that even in the midst of the coldest, bleakest times, we can find joy and laughter in the simple things. It‘s a celebration of the resilience of the human spirit." – Dr. Lisa Thompson, psychologist. In many ways, the themes of the "Groundhog Day" movie mirror the enduring appeal of the tradition itself. “Last Tuesday, the 2nd, was Candlemas day, the day on which, according to the Germans, the Groundhog peeps out of his winter quarters and if he sees his shadow he pops back for another six weeks The original Groundhog Day, however, is a North American folklore festival celebrated every year on 2 February. According to American folklore, if the groundhog emerges from its hibernation burrow in early February on a sunny day, it will see its own shadow and then re-hibernate for a few more weeks indicating a longer winter than usual. Starring Bill Murray as Phil Connors, a cynical weatherman who finds himself reliving the same day over and over again, Groundhog Day mixes humor with philosophical themes. Alongside Murray, the film stars Andie MacDowell and Chris Elliott. Groundhog Day received critical acclaim upon release and has since become a cultural touchstone. Phil: Rita, I’m reliving the same day over and over. Groundhog Day. Today. Rita: Okay. I’m waiting for the punch line. Phil: No. Really. This is the third time. It’s like yesterday never happened! Rita: I am racking my brain, but I can’t even begin to imagine why you’d make up something like this. Phil: I’m not making it up. I am Its premise is simple — Murray plays a weatherman, named Phil Connors, that becomes trapped in a time loop on Groundhog Day. Part of what makes this movie so great is the script and all of these famous Groundhog Day quotes. Bill Murray's Best Groundhog Day Quotes -- #GroundhogDay #BillMurray #GroundhogDayQuotes #MovieQuotes Share on X Phil Connors: This is pitiful. A thousand people freezing their butts off waiting to worship a rat. What a hype. Well, it used to mean something in this town. Groundhog Day is a traditional holiday celebrated on February 2. According to folklore, if it is cloudy when a groundhog emerges from its burrow on this day, then spring will come early; if it is sunny, the groundhog will supposedly see its shadow and retreat back into its burrow and the winter weather will persist [] Groundhog Club handler A.J. Dereume holds Punxsutawney Phil during the 138th celebration of Groundhog Day on Gobbler's Knob in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, Friday, Feb. 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Barry Reeger) Best Groundhog Day Quotes. "Phil: Do you ever have déjà vu, Mrs. Lancaster? Mrs. Lancaster: I don't think so, but I could check with the kitchen." - Phil Connors Groundhog day originally came from an old tradition called Candlemas Day that started in the United States in 1887 in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. But there are a few films, and this is one of them, that burrow into our memories and become reference points. When you find yourself needing the phrase This is like "Groundhog Day" to explain how you feel, a movie has accomplished something. Roger Ebert, in Groundhog Day (1993) in Chicago Sun-Times (30 January 2005) Groundhog Day Sayings for Those Who Snow Winter's Here to Stay. For those who believe that winter will stick around for six more weeks no matter what, and that Phil is just a friendly reminder of what is to come, winter Groundhog Day quotes can be the perfect pairing to posts about the end of this chilly season!
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