From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Groundhog Day is a holiday celebrated on February 2. It is held in the United States and Canada. According to folklore, if a groundhog emerging from its burrow on this day fails to see its shadow, it will leave the burrow, signifying that winter will soon end. If on the other hand, the groundhog sees its shadow, the groundhog will supposedly retreat into its burrow, and winter will continue for six more weeks.[1] The holiday, which began as a Pennsylvania German custom in southeastern and central Pennsylvania in the 18th and 19th centuries, has its origins in ancient European weather lore, wherein a badger or sacred bear is the prognosticator as opposed to a groundhog.[2] The holiday also bears some similarities to the medieval Catholic holiday of Candlemas.[3] It also bears similarities to the Pagan festival of Imbolc, the seasonal turning point of the Celtic calendar, which is celebrated on February 2 and also involves weather prognostication.[4]
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6 comments:
I miss the Imbolc celebrations of my youth. :(
I waiting for that rodent to turn around and bite one of those top hatted dudes in Punksatony, punkssetunee ....whatever. Who needs a frickin ground hog to tell you there will be 6 more weeks of winter. Look on the calender. 6 weeks from now will put us at the spring equinox....duh
Festivus for the rest of us... Any holiday that doesn't involve ceremony, rites, expectations or a required feast with the work all done by me, is a-okay.
Since January 7th, the daylight has been getting longer on both ends. That is the best news.... we have reached the pit and are on our way out.
I heard it originally was a hedgehog on TV this morning.
Pixadilly Phil saw his shadow and therefore 6 more weeks of blah blah blah, but the local guy in Milwaukee didn't see his, so we're OK.
3 words for ya:
SUCK IT PHIL!!!!!!
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