5 Interesting Things About Groundhog Day
Groundhog Day is celebrated every February 2 in the United States. Each year, Punxsutawney Phil in Philadelphia and other groundhogs (and occasionally prairie dogs) across the nation are coaxed of their holes. According to folklore, if the groundhog sees his shadow, there will be six more weeks of winter. However, if he doesn’t, an early spring is predicted. This date is also Candlemas Day, a Christian holiday with traditional weather lore attached to it.
If Candlemas be fair and bright,
Winter has another flight.
If Candlemas brings clouds and rain,
Winter will not come again.
Here are five interesting facts about Groundhog Day. Let’s hope the groundhog doesn’t see his shadow this year!
- 5. The custom of winter weather prediction in February using a burrowing animal comes from Germany, where the folklore encouraged folks to watch a badger come out of its hole on Candlemas Day to see if winter would last longer. When Germans immigrated to the United States, they brought the custom with them, but substituted the groundhog (or woodchuck), a much more common animal.
- 4. While Groundhog Day is celebrated by many people in many U.S. States, it it not an official holiday.
- 3. Why was the Groundhog Day weather prediction important to early settlers? They were primarily farmers. Lacking accurate weather forecasting, they turned to folklore to learn when they should plant their crops.
- 2. The earliest American reference to Groundhog Day comes from 1841, in the diary of James Morris of Berks County, Pennsylvania.
- 1. In Alaska, Groundhog Day is known as Marmot Day because they aren’t many groundhogs in the Last Frontier.
Whether the prediction falls on the side of an early spring or a longer winter, Greeting Card Universe helps you celebrate Groundhog Day with friends and family!
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