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Did
You Know?
Groundhog Day - When Our Furry Forest Friend
It's a national tradition. Every February 2, groundhog fans, weather
buffs and members of the media gather on Gobblers Knob in Punxsutawney,
Pennsylvania to see if the world's greatest groundhog, Punxsutawney
Phil, sees his shadow. If he does, it means six more weeks of
winter. If not, spring is soon on its way. But, for us South Floridians,
both groundhogs and winter tend to be foreign concepts, leading
us to ask questions our Northern neighbors may not. For example,
what exactly is a groundhog, and why do we care about its weather
forecasts? Who came up with this concept, and how accurate is
it? What does Phil do the rest of year? Who are Phil's "Inner
Circle," and why do they wear top hats?
The History of Groundhog Day
Far from being a made-up holiday, Groundhog Day, which is celebrated
in both Canada and the U.S., derives from centuries-old legend
and myth. It comes from beliefs associated with Candlemas Day
and the days of the early Christians in Europe; it was thought
that if the sun made an appearance on Candlemas Day, the hedgehog
(a common animal in the forests of Europe) would cast its shadow
and predict six more weeks of winter weather.
The earliest settlers of Pennsylvania were German, and they brought
this tradition with them, albeit with a twist. Since groundhogs
were the closest thing they had to the hedgehog, it was the wise
and sensible choice to replace the hedgehog of yore. Another legend
explaining the origin of the holiday was a simple 19th century
rhyme, "Groundhog Day, Half Your Hay". New England farmers
knew that February 2 was about halfway through winter, and that
they'd better save half of their hay supply to keep their cows
fed during the rest of the winter season. And so, a legend was
born.
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What is a Groundhog?
Also known as the woodchuck, land beaver or whistlepig, the groundhog
is a rodent that belongs to the Sciuridae family, which
also includes large ground squirrels known as marmots. While some
of the groundhog's relatives live in rocky, mountainous areas,
groundhogs stick to the lowlands and are common in the northeastern
and central parts of the U.S. They can be found as far north as
Alaska and as far south as Alabama.
The Rise of Punxsutawney Phil's Fame
It is said that Punxsutawney Phil is timeless; there is and has
been only one Punxsutawney Phil for the past 120 years. He maintains
his longevity by taking one sip of the "elixir of life,"
a drink of unknown origin served only at the annual summer Groundhog
Picnic.
The news of his predictions was first printed in The Punxsutawney
Spirit newspaper in 1886, but it wasn't until the next year
that Phil fans began making the trek to Gobblers Knob to see the
famed groundhog. In 1899, the members of The Slumbering Groundhog
Lodge of Quarryville, Pennsylvania penned their groundhog song,
sung to the tune of The Battle Hymn of the Republic:
Let the scientific fakirs gnash their
teeth and stamp with rage.
Let astrologers with crystals wipe
such nonsense from their page.
We hail the King of Prophets who's
the world's outstanding sage.
Today the Groundhog comes!
For
more information on Groundhog Day, click here.
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