Groundhog Day (redirected from Ground Hog's Day)

Groundhog Day

(February 2) In the U.S., the day that the groundhog predicts whether spring will be coming soon. If, on emerging from his hole, he sees his shadow, there will be six more weeks of winter; if not, spring is imminent. The tradition stems from English beliefs about seeing shadows on Candlemas (also February 2).

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Groundhog Day

February 2

There was a medieval superstition that all hibernating animals—not just groundhogs—came out of their caves and dens on Candlemas to check on the weather. If they could see their shadows, it meant that winter would go on for another six weeks and they could go back to sleep. A cloudy day meant that spring was just around the corner. It was the early German settlers known as the Pennsylvania Dutch who attached this superstition to the groundhog. In Germany it was the badger, and in England, France, and Canada it was the bear who was believed to make similar predictions about the weather.
The most famous forecaster in the United States is Punxsutawney Phil, a legendary groundhog in north-central Pennsylvania believed to be nearly a century old. Members of the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club, along with thousands of other people, trek up to Phil's burrow on Gobbler's Knob on February 2 and get the news directly from him. (They also capture the event on film, which is available for viewing from a link on their web site.) Unfortunately, weather researchers have determined that over the years the groundhog has been correct only 28 percent of the time.
Numerous events take place in Punxsutawney over the days surrounding February 2, including group hikes, parties, live entertainment, fireworks, a winter carnival, and the showing of Groundhog Day, the 1993 movie starring Bill Murray.

CONTACTS:
Punxsutawney Groundhog Club
c/o Punxsutawney Chamber of Commerce
124 W. Mahoning St.
Punxsutawney, PA 15767
814-938-7700; fax: 814-938-4303
www.groundhog.org

SOURCES:
AmerBkDays-2000, p. 110
BkFestHolWrld-1970, p. 29
DaysCustFaith-1957, p. 45
DictDays-1988, p. 51
FolkAmerHol-1999, p. 67
OxYear-1999, p. 64

Celebration day: Feb 2