February 2nd, Groundhog Day, may be one of the quirkiest of American holidays. The Groundhog Day tradition is thought to have been brought to The States by German immigrants in the early 19th century, but it became part of pop-culture when the movie Groundhog Day came out in 1993 starring Bill Murray.
If the groundhog does not see his shadow, the weather is more mild, and the groundhog can come out of hibernation. If a shadow is seen, it is said the groundhog is scared back into his den, and there will be six more weeks of winter. Despite its hokey aspects, people still enjoy relying on the predictions of these famous groundhogs – any reason to believe winter is almost over!
Some groundhogs enjoy a bit of celebrity – here are some 2009 predictions:
Punxsutawney Phil, the star of Groundhog Day, saw his shadow today in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. Jimmy the Groundhog also saw his shadow this morning in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin. This result means folks in those cities will see six more weeks of winter. The same predictions fell for those citizens in Quarryville, Pennsylvania, where the resident groundhog, Octoraro Orphie, is said to turn 100 years old this year.
Staten Island Chuck predicted a different fate for his fans – there was no shadow, which means there may be an early Spring in New York!
Whether you believe a small, furry animal can predict the weather or not, the Groundhog Day tradition stays strong in North America.
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