Groundhog Day – Midwinter Festivities

February 2nd is the mid-point between the winter solstice and the spring equinox. In Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania a groundhog named Phil will be the center of attention as the most popular midwinter event the nation takes place, it’s Groundhog Day. If Phil sees his shadow, watch out, winter will be hanging around for months.

February 2012 will be Punxsutawney Phil’s 126th prognostication! Phil’s handlers, the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club’s Inner Circle, concoct the forecasts. Thousands of revelers will gather the pre-dawn hours on a small hill called Gobbler’s Knob to hear the prediction. Phil had seen his shadow 98 times and hadn’t seen it 15 times since 1887. There are no records for the remaining years, though the group has never failed to issue a forecast.

Groundhog Day was designed as a day of celebration by Pennsylvania’s early settlers. It’s very similar to Candlemas Day, which also happens to fall on February 2nd. That christian tradition says if the sun made an appearance on Candlemas Day, or if an animal cast a shadow on that day, there would be six more weeks of bad weather.

A story published last year on MadMikesAmerica suggested that the Bill Murray movie Groundhog Day was more than a comedy, but a deep existential film which explored the human condition. I agree. Read it HERE.
 

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