Groundhogs day when is it

Poppy Logo. FB house promo. Share this article via facebook Share this article via twitter Share this article via messenger Share this with Share this article via email Share this article via flipboard Copy link. Share this article via comment Share this article via facebook Share this article via twitter. So how does the groundhog fit into this ancient festival? In the s, German immigrants to Pennsylvania brought their Candlemas legends with them. Finding no badgers but lots of groundhogs also called woodchucks or whistlepigs , they adapted the New World species to fit the lore.

Today, that lore has grown into fun winter festivals, with Punxsutawney Phil and furry fellows in other states presiding. Since the traditional celebration anticipated the planting of crops, a central focus of the festivities was the forecasting of either an early spring or a lingering winter. Our Groundhog Day is a remote survivor of that belief.

Want to see more accurate planting dates? Check out our Planting Calendar to find dates for starting seeds, transplanting, and harvesting in your area. If Candlemas [February 2] be mild and gay, Go saddle your horses and buy them hay; But if Candlemas be stormy and black, It carries the winter away on its back. The groundhog, also known as a woodchuck or whistlepig, typically makes its home in the brambles and thickets that grow where forests meet fields.

There, it digs burrows between 4 and 6 feet deep and up to 40 feet long—removing as much as pounds of dirt in the process. Like its squirrel relatives, the groundhog eats leaves, grass, flowers, bark, and twigs and climbs trees to reach tender buds or fruit. This furry animal will also go after just about any crop, favoring beans, peas, and carrot tops. It may even take a bite out of every squash or pumpkin in a row, instead of consuming just one.

See how to deter groundhogs in the garden. But the mischief-maker is not all nuisance. Its burrows allow air and water to penetrate the soil and, when abandoned, they become homes for opossums and other small animals.

The groundhog itself serves as food for larger creatures, such as bobcats, foxes, and wolves. With hungry predators on the prowl, it takes courage for a groundhog to emerge from its hole every February to make its forecast. It must take its job very seriously! Photo by Brain E. The word you use is more of a reflection of where you live. The word comes from a Native American word.

What do you call it? So, the word woodchuck has nothing to do with chucking any wood. And, the name Punxsutawney apparently derives from a Native American name as well. Get grammar tips, writing tricks, and more from Thesaurus. Comments This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. How often does Phil predict the weather correctly? It seems we can thank Bill Murray for this. In fact, the day is so popular now that other cities in the US and Canada have their own meteorological rodents.

Phil has some competition. Candlemas involved the clergy blessing and distributing candles needed for winter. The Pennsylvania Dutch transformed the idea by selecting an animal to predict their needs for winter. The first-ever Groundhog Day was created by a local newspaper editor Clymer Freas around , who convinced Groundhog hunter and local businessman, and all members of his Punxsutawney Groundhog club on the idea of Groundhog Day. Studies have proven no strong correlation between a Groundhog spotting its own shadow and the arrival of spring subsequently.

According to German lore, the badger known as Dachs is their forecasting animal. A separate version of traditions states that clear weather on the holy Christian day of Candlemas would often prohibit winter being prolonged. Groundhog lore suggests much about Punxsutawney Phil. There is also supposedly only one Phil and any other groundhogs who attempt to do what he does, are imposters.

He is said to speak to the club president on the day, in front of the crowds in Groundhogese which is understood and then translated.

A film of the same name is released starring Bill Murray where he relives Groundhog Day over and over again. The beginning of the Groundhog tradition dates back to here where a badger or sacred bear would predict the weather.

Data gathered by a top San Diego Marketing Agency. Groundhog Day has variations that are celebrated in other parts of the world. Take a look:. The biggest being the gathering of people at Punxsutawney at the crack of dawn to witness Punxsutawney Phil emerging from his burrow.

The event is live-streamed and has a cult following. Dirt pie is the food traditionally baked and served and references to Groundhogs can be seen everywhere. Typically, groundhogs weigh between pounds. Groundhog Day is when the groundhog Punxsutawney Phil predicts whether by looking for his shadow.

Get some popcorn ready because this is a classic. Learn it and sing along!