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|2011||Early spring<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.citizen-times.com/article/2011110202029 |title=Chimney Rock groundhog doesn't see his shadow|newspaper=Asheville Citizen-Times|location=Asheville, NC|date= February 2, 2011}}</ref>||Grady the Groundhog||[[Chimney Rock, North Carolina]]
|2011||Early spring<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.citizen-times.com/article/2011110202029 |title=Chimney Rock groundhog doesn't see his shadow|newspaper=Asheville Citizen-Times|location=Asheville, NC|date= February 2, 2011}}</ref>||Grady the Groundhog||[[Chimney Rock, North Carolina]]
|-
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|2011||Early spring<ref>Soper, Kym (February 2, 2011). No shadow! Chuckles predicts early spring at Lutz. ''Journal-Inquirer''. Retrieved February 2, 2011.</ref>||Chuckles||[[Manchester, Connecticut]]
|2011||Early spring<ref>{{cite news|last=Soper|first= Kym |date=February 2, 2011|title= No shadow! Chuckles predicts early spring at Lutz|newspaper=Journal-Inquirer|location=Manchester, CT|accessdate=February 2, 2011}}</ref>||Chuckles||[[Manchester, Connecticut]]
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|2011||Early spring<ref name="ydr11">[http://www.ydr.com/local/ci_17269815 Dover Doug Delivers Groundhog Report]. ''York Daily Record''. Retrieved February 2, 2011.</ref>||Susquehanna Sherman||[[Mount Wolf, Pennsylvania]]
|2011||Early spring<ref name="ydr11">{{cite news|url=http://www.ydr.com/local/ci_17269815 |title=Dover Doug Delivers Groundhog Report|newspaper=York Daily Record|location=York, PA|date= February 2, 2011}}</ref>||Susquehanna Sherman||[[Mount Wolf, Pennsylvania]]
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|2011||6 more weeks of winter<ref name="ydr11"/>||Poor Richard||York, Pennsylvania
|2011||6 more weeks of winter<ref name="ydr11"/>||Poor Richard||York, Pennsylvania
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|2011||6 more weeks of winter<ref name="ydr11"/>||Dover Doug||[[Dover, Pennsylvania]]
|2011||6 more weeks of winter<ref name="ydr11"/>||Dover Doug||[[Dover, Pennsylvania]]
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|2011||Early spring<ref>[http://malverne-westhempstead.patch.com/articles/video-malverne-mel-bids-grizzly-winter-early-goodbye Malverne Mel Bids Grizzly Winter Early Goodbye]. ''Malverne-WestHempstead Patch''. Retrieved February 2, 2011.</ref>||Malverne Mel||Malverne, New York
|2011||Early spring<ref>{{cite news|url=http://malverne-westhempstead.patch.com/articles/video-malverne-mel-bids-grizzly-winter-early-goodbye|title= Malverne Mel Bids Grizzly Winter Early Goodbye|newspaper=Malverne-WestHempstead (Patch.com}|date= February 2, 2011|first=Tara|last=Conry|location=Malverne, NY}}</ref>||Malverne Mel||Malverne, New York
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|2011||6 more weeks of winter<ref>[http://www.longislandpress.com/2011/02/02/holtsville-hal-predicts-long-winter-on-groundhog-day/ Holtsville Hal predicts long winter on Groundhog Day]. ''Long Island Press''. Retrieved February 2, 2011.</ref>||Holtsville Hal||[[Holtsville, New York]]
|2011||6 more weeks of winter<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.longislandpress.com/2011/02/02/holtsville-hal-predicts-long-winter-on-groundhog-day/ |title=Holtsville Hal predicts long winter on Groundhog Day|first=Timothy|last= Bolger |newspaper=Long Island Press|location=Syosset, NY|date=February 2, 2011}}</ref>||Holtsville Hal||[[Holtsville, New York]]
|-
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|2011||6 more weeks of winter<ref>[http://www.ldnews.com/ci_17269174 Groundhog makes prediction]. Lebanon Daily News (February 2, 2011). Retrieved February 2, 2011.</ref>||Uni||Myerstown, Pennsylvania
|2011||6 more weeks of winter<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.ldnews.com/ci_17269174 |title=Uni says we'll see six more weeks of winter
|newspaper= Lebanon Daily News|location=Lebanon, pa|date=February 2, 2011|first=Steve|last=Snyder|accessdate= February 2, 2011}}</ref>||Uni||Myerstown, Pennsylvania
|-
|-
|2011||Early spring<ref name="thestar2011">[http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/931952--live-groundhog-day-in-wiarton Wiarton Willie predicts early spring]. ''Toronto Star''. Retrieved February 2, 2011.</ref>||Wiarton Willie||Wiarton, Ontario
|2011||Early spring<ref name="thestar2011">{{cite news|url=http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/931952--live-groundhog-day-in-wiarton|title= Wiarton Willie predicts early spring|newspaper=Toronto Star|date= February 2, 2011}}.</ref>||Wiarton Willie||Wiarton, Ontario
|-
|-
|2011||Early spring<ref name="thestar2011"/>||Shubenacadie Sam||Shubenacadie, Nova Scotia
|2011||Early spring<ref name="thestar2011"/>||Shubenacadie Sam||Shubenacadie, Nova Scotia

Revision as of 20:21, 26 November 2013

For the film, see Groundhog Day (film). For other uses, see Groundhog Day (disambiguation).

Groundhog Day
Groundhog Day 2005 in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, U.S.
TypeCultural
SignificancePredicts the arrival of spring
CelebrationsAnnouncing whether a groundhog sees its shadow after it emerges from its burrow
DateFebruary 2
Next time2 February 2025 (2025-02-02)
Frequencyannual

Groundhog Day (Pennsylvania German: Grundsaudaag, Murmeltiertag) is a day celebrated on February 2. According to folklore, if it is cloudy when a groundhog emerges from its burrow on this day, then spring will come early; if it is sunny, the groundhog will supposedly see its shadow and retreat back into its burrow, and the winter weather will continue for six more weeks.[1]

Modern customs of the holiday involve celebrations where early morning festivals are held to watch the groundhog emerging from its burrow.

In southeastern Pennsylvania, Groundhog Lodges (Grundsow Lodges) celebrate the holiday with fersommlinge,[2] social events in which food is served, speeches are made, and one or more g'spiel (plays or skits) are performed for entertainment. The Pennsylvania German dialect is the only language spoken at the event, and those who speak English pay a penalty, usually in the form of a nickel, dime, or quarter per word spoken, with the money put into a bowl in the center of the table.[3]

The largest Groundhog Day celebration is held in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. Groundhog Day, already a widely recognized and popular tradition,[4] received widespread attention as a result of the 1993 film Groundhog Day, which was set in Punxsutawney, PA (though filmed primarily in Woodstock, IL) and portrayed Punxsutawney Phil.[5]

History

The celebration, 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.[6] It also bears similarities to the Pagan festival of Imbolc, the seasonal turning point of the Celtic calendar, which is celebrated on February 1 and also involves weather prognostication[7] and to St. Swithun's Day in July.

Historical origins

The groundhog (Marmota monax) is a rodent of the family Sciuridae, belonging to the group of large ground squirrels.
File:Writers245.JPG
Statue of groundhog Wiarton Willie in Wiarton, Ontario

The first documented American reference to Groundhog Day can be found in a diary entry,[8] dated February 4, 1841, of Morgantown, Pennsylvania, storekeeper James Morris:

Last Tuesday, the 2nd, was Candlemas day, the day on which, according to the Germans,[9] the Groundhog peeps out of his winter quarters and if he sees his shadow he pops back for another six weeks nap, but if the day be cloudy he remains out, as the weather is to be moderate.

In Scotland, the poem:

If Candle-mas Day is bright and clear,
There'll be two winters in the year.

An English poem:

If Candle mas be fair and bright,
Winter has another flight.
If Candlemas brings clouds and rain,
Winter will not come again.

Alternative origin theories

In western countries in the Northern Hemisphere, the official first day of spring is almost seven weeks (46–48 days) after Groundhog Day, on March 20 or March 21. The custom could have been a folk embodiment of the confusion created by the collision of two calendrical systems. Some ancient traditions marked the change of season at cross-quarter days such as Imbolc when daylight first makes significant progress against the night. Other traditions held that spring did not begin until the length of daylight overtook night at the Vernal Equinox. So an arbiter, the groundhog/hedgehog, was incorporated as a yearly custom to settle the two traditions. Sometimes spring begins at Imbolc, and sometimes winter lasts six more weeks until the equinox.[10]

Locations

The largest Groundhog Day celebration is held in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, where crowds as large as 40,000[11] have gathered to celebrate the holiday since at least 1886.[12] Other celebrations of note in Pennsylvania take place in Quarryville in Lancaster County,[13] the Anthracite Region of Schuylkill County,[14] the Sinnamahoning Valley[15] and Bucks County.[16]

Outside of Pennsylvania, notable celebrations occur in Wiarton, Ontario, and Shubenacadie, Nova Scotia.,[17] Val d'Espoir near Percé, Quebec and Winnipeg, Manitoba as well as the Frederick and Hagerstown areas of Maryland, Marion, Ohio,[18] the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia,[17] Woodstock, Illinois,[19] Lilburn, Georgia,[20] among the Amish populations of over twenty states. The University of Dallas in Irving, Texas, has Groundhog Day as an official university holiday and organizes a large-scale celebration every year. It is claimed to be the second largest Groundhog celebration in the world.[21]

Predictions of various groundhogs since 2008

  1. ^ Cohen, p. 57.
  2. ^ Yoder, p. xii.
  3. ^ Rosenberger, Homer Tope (1966). The Pennsylvania Germans: 1891–1965. Lancaster, PA: Pennsylvania German Society. pp. 194–199. OCLC 1745108.
  4. ^ "Pennsylvania Town Awaits Groundhog Day". New York Times. February 2, 1986. Retrieved January 27, 2011.
  5. ^ Yoder, pp. 14–15.
  6. ^ Yoder, p. i.
  7. ^ Yoder, p. 43.
  8. ^ History Society of Berks County, Reading, Pennsylvania.
  9. ^ The attribution to the "Germans" may be based on some German Bauernregeln (farmers' rules) like this one: Wenn sich der Dachs zu Lichtmeß sonnt, so gehet er wieder auf vier Wochen in sein Loch. (If the badger is in the sun at Candlemas, he will have to go back into his hole for another four weeks. Joseph Arnold Lewenau : Der angewandte Fresenius; oder, Sammlung geordneter allgemeiner Witterungs- und sogenannter Bauernregeln: mit beygefügten Erklärungen ihres Grundes und vernünftigen Sinnes zu einem nützlichen Gebrauch ... vorzüglich beym Betriebe der Landwirthschaft. Vienna: J.G. Mösle, 1823, p. 20.
  10. ^ Groundhog Day, Margaret Kruesi. Journal of American Folklore. Washington: Summer 2007. Vol. 120, Iss. 477; p. 367+.
  11. ^ Park, PhD, David (2006). "Happy Groundhog Day to You!". Retrieved February 2, 2009.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  12. ^ Yoder, p. 9.
  13. ^ Yoder, pp. 19–28.
  14. ^ Yoder, pp. 29–30.
  15. ^ Yoder, pp. 30–31.
  16. ^ Yoder, p. 31.
  17. ^ a b Yoder, pp. 33.
  18. ^ Yoder, pp. 32–33.
  19. ^ "Groundhog Days Woodstock IL". Awaketowoodstock.com. Retrieved December 11, 2010.
  20. ^ Shoestring Solutions. "All About General Beau Lee of the Yellow River Game Ranch". Yellowrivergameranch.com. Retrieved December 11, 2010.
  21. ^ Colleges in the Midwest: Compare Colleges in Your Region (24 ed.). Peterson's. 2009. p. 298. ISBN 9780768926903. Retrieved February 1, 2013.
  22. ^ Punzel, Denis (February 11, 2013). "Sun Prairie's Jimmy the Groundhog predicts early spring". Wisconsin State Journal. Madison, WI.
  23. ^ a b Bates, Jim (February 2,2013). "Happy Groundhog Day, Colorado-style". The Denver Post. Denver, CO. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  24. ^ Conry, Tara (February 2,2013). "Groundhog Day: Malverne Mel Predicts Six More Weeks of Winter". Patch.com. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  25. ^ a b c d e "Winnipeg Willow predicts an early spring on Groundhog Day, while Manitoba Merv says more winter to come". CTV Winnipeg. February 2, 2013.
  26. ^ Gomez, Luis (February 2, 2013). "Potomac Phil Predicts an Early Spring and More Political Gridlock". Borderstan.
  27. ^ "Murray's meaning". Cumberland Times-News. Cumberland, MD. February 2, 2013.
  28. ^ "Octorara Orphie predicts more winter". WGAL. February 2, 2013.
  29. ^ a b c "Groundhog Day: Local groundhogs disagree with Punxsutawney Phil, say more winter". The Evening Sun. Hanover, PA. February 2, 2013.
  30. ^ Marchiano, Amy (February 3, 2013). "Pine Grove's Grover: 6 more weeks of winter". The Republican-Herald. Pottsville, PA.
  31. ^ Motsinger, Carol (February 2, 2013). "Local groundhog: Spring on the way". Asheville Citizen-Times. Asheville, NC.
  32. ^ "Dunkirk Dave predicts early spring". Dunkirk Observer. Dunkirk, NY. February 2, 2013.
  33. ^ "Michigan's Official Groundhog 'Woody' Predicts An Early Spring". CBS Detroit. Detroit, MI. February 2, 2013.
  34. ^ Samenow, Jason (February 2, 2013). "Groundhog Day 2013: No shadow for Punxsutawney Phil, so spring is around the corner". The Washington Post. Washington, DC.
  35. ^ "Michigan's Official Groundhog Predicts An Early Spring". WKBD-TV CBS Detroit. February 2,2012. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  36. ^ a b Brookbank, Mike (February 2, 2012). "Woody the Woodchuck predicts early spring for Michigan". Detroit Free Press. Detroit, MI.
  37. ^ "African, American concur with six more weeks of winter prediction". WCBC. Cumberland, MD. February 2, 2012. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |1= (help)[dead link‍]
  38. ^ a b "Spring is here to stay, says Asheville's groundhog, Nibbles". Asheville Citizen-Times. Asheville, NC. February 2, 2012.(subscription required)
  39. ^ Needham, Nick (February 2, 2012). "Queen Charlotte sees shadow, 6 more weeks of winter". WBTV. Charlotte, NC.
  40. ^ a b "Sir Walter Wally, Mortimer disagree about spring again". Raleigh News Observer. Raleigh, NC. February 2, 2012.[dead link‍]
  41. ^ "Chattanooga Chuck predicts warm, wet weather". Nooga.com. February 2, 2012.
  42. ^ Snyder, Steve (February 2, 2012). "Uni's close call: 6 more weeks of winter". Lebanon Daily News. Lebanon, PA.
  43. ^ a b "Groundhogs Predict Fate Of Winter; Punxsutawney Phil Joined By Others In Valley". WGAL. Lancaster, PA. February 2, 2012.
  44. ^ "Groundhog Day 2012". WTRF. Wheeling, WV. February 2,2012. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)[dead link‍]
  45. ^ "Woodstock Willie Predicts Early Spring: Midwestern Groundhog Disagrees With Punxsutawney Phil". Huffington Post. February 2,2012. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  46. ^ "Groundhog Day 2012: Wiarton Willie, Shubenacadie Sam predict early spring; Punxsutawney Phil calls for more winter". National Post. February 2,2012. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  47. ^ "Spring's Right Around the Corner". Hastings Tribune. Hastings, NE. February 2,2012. Retrieved February 2,2012. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= and |date= (help)[dead link‍]
  48. ^ "Georgia's groundhog predicts early spring". Athens Banner-Herald. Athens, GA. February 2, 2012.[dead link‍]
  49. ^ Knapp, Tom (February 2, 2012). "Octoraro Orphie predicts an early spring". Intelligencer Journal. Lancaster, PA.
  50. ^ Riley, Ed (February 2, 2012). "Dunkirk Dave predicts early spring". WKBW-TV. Buffalo, NY.
  51. ^ DeRosa, Ronald (February 2, 2012). "POLL: Punxsutawney Phil Vs. Chuck". Naugatuck Patch. Naugatuck, CT. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |1= (help)
  52. ^ Bilstad, Erik (2012). "Milwaukee's Groundhog Did Not See Shadow". Today's TMJ 4. Retrieved February 3, 2013.[dead link‍]
  53. ^ a b c Argento, Mike (February 2, 2012). "Is winter over? The local groundhogs say yes, Phil says six more weeks". York Daily News. York, PA.
  54. ^ "Groundhog's Forecast: More Winter". KBOI. Boise, ID. February 2, 2012.
  55. ^ "Ground Hog Day update". CFTR. Toronto. February 3, 2013.
  56. ^ "Groundhog Day: Quebec groundhog disagrees with Shubenacadie Sam, Wiarton Willie". The Gazette. Montreal, CA. February 2, 2012.[dead link‍]
  57. ^ "Beau doesn't see his shadow! An early spring is just around the corner". General Beauregard Lee's official Twitter. February 2, 2012.
  58. ^ Conry, Tara (February 2, 2012). "Malverne Mel predicts six more weeks of winter". Malverne-West Hempstead (Patch.com).
  59. ^ Dymski, Gary (February 2, 2012). "Holtsville Hal, Malverne Mel disagree on winter". Long Island Newsday. Melville, NY.
  60. ^ "Buckeye Chuck in Marion fails to see shadow, 'predicts' spring is near". Mansfield News Journal. Mansfield, OH. February 2, 2012.
  61. ^ Silverstein, Irving (February 2, 2012). "Groundhog Day 2012: Staten Island Chuck predicts early spring". Staten Island Advance. Staten Island, NY.
  62. ^ "This just in: ShubenacadieSam didn't see his shadow. Spring is on the way folks, as long as you trust adorable rodents". Global Halifax. February 2, 2012.
  63. ^ "No matter what, there will be weather". Hudson, NY: Hudson Register-Star. February 3, 2011.
  64. ^ Schrock, Jeff (February 2, 2011). "French Creek Freddie Predicts Early Spring for 2011". The State Journal. Charleston, WV.[dead link‍]
  65. ^ "Snow even too much for Willie the groundhog". Chicago Sun-Times. Chicago, IL. February 2, 2011.
  66. ^ "Athens' groundhog emerges to predict spring". The Red and Black. Athens, GA. February 2, 2011.[dead link‍]
  67. ^ "Octorara Orphie sees 6 more weeks of winter". Lancaster Online. Lancaster, PA. February 2, 2011..
  68. ^ "Winter's not over yet". CFCN-TV. Calgary, Alberta, CA. February 2, 2011.
  69. ^ "Sir Walter Wally predicts more winter". WTVD. Raleigh, NC. February 2, 2011.
  70. ^ "Chimney Rock groundhog doesn't see his shadow". Asheville Citizen-Times. Asheville, NC. February 2, 2011.
  71. ^ Soper, Kym (February 2, 2011). "No shadow! Chuckles predicts early spring at Lutz". Journal-Inquirer. Manchester, CT. {{cite news}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help)
  72. ^ a b c "Dover Doug Delivers Groundhog Report". York Daily Record. York, PA. February 2, 2011.
  73. ^ Conry, Tara (February 2, 2011). "Malverne Mel Bids Grizzly Winter Early Goodbye". Malverne-WestHempstead (Patch.com}. Malverne, NY.
  74. ^ Bolger, Timothy (February 2, 2011). "Holtsville Hal predicts long winter on Groundhog Day". Long Island Press. Syosset, NY.
  75. ^ Snyder, Steve (February 2, 2011). "Uni says we'll see six more weeks of winter". Lebanon Daily News. Lebanon, pa. Retrieved February 2, 2011.
  76. ^ a b "Wiarton Willie predicts early spring". Toronto Star. February 2, 2011..
  77. ^ Henzl, Ann-Elise (February 2, 2011). "Believe it or not, Groundhog Predicts Early Spring". WUWM.
  78. ^ "Groundhog". WCBC. 2011. Retrieved February 3, 2013.[dead link‍]
  79. ^ Groundhog Day 2011: It's an early spring! Staten Island Chuck did not see his shadow. Staten Island Advance (February 2, 2011).
  80. ^ Seitz, Colleen (February 2, 2011). "No shadows for Buckeye Chuck and Punxsutawney Phil mean early spring". WEWS.
  81. ^ Carey, Elizabeth (February 2, 2011). "Groundhogs call for spring as storm flops".
  82. ^ "General Beau Lee Doesn't See Shadow; Predicts Early Spring!". Yellow River Game Ranch. February 2, 2011. Retrieved February 2, 2011.
  83. ^ "Punxsutawney Phil Calls For An Early Spring". KDKA.com. February 2, 2011. Retrieved February 2, 2011.
  84. ^ a b c Vanhoose, Joe (2010-02-03). Furry forecaster sees early spring
  85. ^ Spring almost here, Orphie says. Lancaster Newspapers. Retrieved February 2, 2010.
  86. ^ Sir Walter Wally, Punxsutawney Phil disagree on winter's end. Raleigh News Observer (February 2, 2010).
  87. ^ "Groundhog Central". Groundhog Central. Retrieved December 11, 2010.
  88. ^ "Groundhog Day 2008 at the Yellow River Game Ranch!". Yellowrivergameranch.com. February 2, 2010. Retrieved December 11, 2010.
  89. ^ "Smith Lake Jake Visits Wake-Up!" Wake up, Alabama!, CBS42, February 2, 2010
  90. ^ Staten Island Chuck makes his Groundhog Day prediction. Staten Island Advance (February 2, 2010).
  91. ^ "Northwest Herald | Woodstock Willie: An early spring is coming". Nwherald.com. Retrieved December 11, 2010.
  92. ^ The Canadian Press: Mix of cheers and groans as Wiarton Willie predicts six more weeks of winter[dead link‍]
  93. ^ Snyder, Steve (February 2, 2010). Uni's forecast: Early spring. Lebanon Daily News. Retrieved 2010-02-05.
  94. ^ Official Dunkirk Dave site Though he did see his shadow, it was invalidated because of artificial lighting.
  95. ^ "Weather-Predicting Groundhogs Don't Agree". WCMH-TV. February 2, 2010.
  96. ^ "Alberta's Balzac Billy disagrees with Ontario's Wiarton Willie" Canada.com, February 2, 2002
  97. ^ [1] Charleston Daily Mail [dead link‍]
  98. ^ "N.C. Groundhog, Hog Differ On Winter Weather Outlook – News Story – WSOC Charlotte". Wsoctv.com. February 2, 2009. Retrieved December 11, 2010.
  99. ^ "West Virginia Headline News and Talk Radio". Wvmetronews.com. Retrieved December 11, 2010.
  100. ^ "Buckeye Chuck Makes Prediction: 6 More Weeks". NBC4i.com. Retrieved December 11, 2010.
  101. ^ "Groundhog bites Bloomberg at ceremony; on LI, Holtsville Hal sees shadow; Malverne Mel does not". Newsday. New York. February 2, 2009. Retrieved December 11, 2010.
  102. ^ "Woodstock Willie: Bundle up; more winter ahead". Daily Herald. Retrieved December 11, 2010.
  103. ^ "Sun Prairie Chamber Of Commerce: Groundhog Day". Sunprairiechamber.com. Retrieved December 11, 2010.
  104. ^ "LancasterOnline.com:News:Orphie says: Button up!". Articles.lancasteronline.com. February 2, 2009. Retrieved December 11, 2010.
  105. ^ Staten Island Chuck predicts spring is near. Staten Island Advance news alert. February 2, 2009.
  106. ^ a b "No surprises as Wiarton Willy and pals predict more winter". London Free Press. February 2, 2009.
  107. ^ "Groundhog Predicts More Winter Weather". Associated Press. 200-02-02. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)[dead link‍]
  108. ^ Dunkirk Dave predicts early spring. Dunkirk Observer news alert. February 2, 2009.
  109. ^ "Groundhog Predicts More Winter Weather". Associated Press. February 2, 2008.[dead link‍]
  110. ^ "Wisconsin's Jimmy the groundhog predicts an early spring". WBAY-TV. Associated Press. February 3, 2008.
  111. ^ West, Shirley (February 3, 2008). "Early spring? Dunkirk Dave says yes!". Dunkirk Observer.
  112. ^ a b "Canada's groundhogs agree: Spring's coming early". CTV. February 2, 2008.
  113. ^ Stradling, Richard. "2008-02-03". The News & Observer.
  114. ^ a b Lytle, Steve (February 2, 2008). "Charlotte's groundhog sees shadow". The Charlotte Observer.
  115. ^ "Past Predictions". February 2, 2011.
  116. ^ a b "An early spring, says Malverne Mel". Newsday. February 2, 2008.
  117. ^ 2, 2008-0002.html "Buckeye Chuck Fails to See Shadow". WCMH. February 2, 2008. {{cite news}}: Check |url= value (help)

Meteorological accuracy

According to Groundhog Day organizers, the rodents' forecasts are accurate 75% to 90% of the time.[1] However, a Canadian study for 13 cities in the past 30 to 40 years found that the weather patterns predicted on Groundhog Day were only 37% accurate over that time period—a value not significant compared to the 33% that could occur by chance.[1][dubious – discuss] According to the StormFax Weather Almanac and records kept since 1887, Punxsutawney Phil's weather predictions have been correct 39% of the time.[2] The National Climatic Data Center has described the forecasts as "on average, inaccurate" and stated that "The groundhog has shown no talent for predicting the arrival of spring, especially in recent years."[3]

  • At the end of Disney's 1930 Silly Symphonies short film Winter, Mr. Groundhog the Weather Prophet comes out of his hole to determine whether or not there will be more winter. At first, he does not see his shadow, but the clouds clear and his shadow appears, causing him to run back inside. At this point, the winds picks up again and winter continues.
  • The 1941 Woody Woodpecker short Pantry Panic portrays the groundhog as a weather forecaster, although in this case he forecasts the timing of the beginning of winter, not the end of it.
  • The 1947 Warner Bros. cartoon One Meat Brawl features Grover Groundhog singing the "Groundhog Song" with music by Carl W. Stalling and lyrics by Warren Foster.[4]
  • In the 1979 Rankin-Bass Christmas TV special Jack Frost, a crucial plot point in the story involves Jack casting his own shadow on Groundhog Day for six more weeks of winter. At the end of the story it is revealed that the narrator (voiced by Buddy Hackett) is the groundhog.
  • * From the 1990 album Frizzle Fry by the San Francisco area trio Primus, Ground Hog's Day appears as the second track. The song is set on Ground Hog's day, from the anthropomorphic perspective of the groundhog. The song's theme deals with growth, perseverance, and fresh starts.
  • The 1993 comedy movie Groundhog Day takes place in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania on this day (although the majority of the movie was actually filmed in Woodstock, Illinois). The main character (played by Bill Murray) is forced to relive the day over and over again until he can learn to give up his selfishness and become a better person.[5] In popular culture, the phrase "Groundhog Day" has come to represent going through a phenomenon over and over until one spiritually transcends it.[6]
  • In "Franklin and the Grump" from Franklin (Season 3, 2000), the character Mr. Groundhog was an anthropomorphic groundhog with a great interest in meteorology who didn't want to participate in Groundhog Day anymore because there were always those who were upset regardless of what he predicted. He "officially canceled" the holiday, but the title character told his friends and family about the problem and the entire community gathered to give him a day just for him. Mr. Groundhog was later featured as more regular character in the series.
  • In Disney's 2006 film Bambi II, Bambi accompanies his friends Thumper and Flower to go and see the Groundhog, whose shadow will foretell if winter will end soon.
  • In Dreamwork's 2012 film Rise of the Guardians, when the Man in the Moon is about to choose a new Guardian, Bunnymund hopes that it isn't the Groundhog.

Similar customs

A similar custom is celebrated among Orthodox Christians in Serbia on February 15 (February 2 according to local Julian calendar) during the feast of celebration of Sretenje or The Meeting of the Lord. It is believed that on this day the bear will awake from winter dormancy, and if in this sleepy and confused state it sees (meets) its own shadow, it will get scared and go back to sleep for an additional 40 days, thus prolonging the winter. Thus, if it is sunny on Sretenje, it is the sign that the winter is not over yet. If it is cloudy, it is a good sign that the winter is about to end.

In Germany, June 27 is "Siebenschläfertag" (Seven Sleepers Day). If it rains that day, the rest of summer is supposedly going to be rainy. While it might seem to refer to the "Siebenschläfer" squirrel (Glis Glis), also known as the "edible dormouse", it actually commemorates the Seven Sleepers (the actual commemoration day is July 25).

In the United Kingdom, July 15 is known as St. Swithun's day. It was traditionally believed if it rained on that day, it would rain for the next 40 days and nights.

In Alaska, February 2 is observed as Marmot Day rather than Groundhog Day because few groundhogs exist in the state.[7]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ a b Phillips, David. "Groundhog Day". The Canadian Encyclopedia. Historica Foundation of Canada.
  2. ^ Groundhog Day History. Stormfax Weather Almanac.
  3. ^ "Groundhog Forecasters versus the U.S. Temperature Record". NOAA National Climatic Data Center. Retrieved January 31, 2013.
  4. ^ http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0039681/
  5. ^ Groundhog Day (1993)
  6. ^ "The spiritual power of repetitive form: Steps toward transcendence in Groundhog Day." Suzanne Daughton, Critical Studies in Mass Communication. Annandale: Jun 1996. Vol. 13, Iss. 2; p. 138, 17 pgs
  7. ^ The Associated Press. "Alaska to celebrate its first Marmot Day," Fairbanks Daily News-Miner. Feb. 1, 2010. Accessed Feb. 1, 2010.

References

  • Cohen, H.; Coffin, T. P. (1987). The Folklore of American Holidays. Detroit: Gale Research.
  • Yoder, Don (2003). Groundhog Day. Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania: Stackpole Books. ISBN 0-8117-0029-1.

Further reading

  • Aaron, Michael A., Brewster B. Boyd, Jr., Melanie J. Curtis, Paul M. Sommers (January 2001). "Punxsutawney's Phenomenal Phorecaster". The College Mathematics Journal, 32(1):26–29. doi:10.2307/2687216.
  • Old, W. C., and P. Billin-Frye (2004). The Groundhog Day Book of Facts and Fun. Morton Grove, IL: Albert Whitman.
  • Pulling, A. F. (2001). Around Punxsutawney. Charleston, S.C.: Arcadia.
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