Winter Is Going: Groundhog Day Facts

Winter is the time of austere coldness and pristine snowflakes for most of the world. To invite the joy of light during the dark months of winter, we celebrate a number of festivals during that time. After all, winter is also known as the season of joy. Despite all this, it is undeniable that after the long cold months, most of us crave the flowers of spring and the sunshine of summer.

Once upon a time, when meteorologists were non-existent and there was no technology for weather forecasting, our forefathers came up with novel ways to predict the end of summer.

Groundhog Day is one such festival that is still celebrated by people to forecast the end of winter. Predominantly commemorated in America, Groundhog Day takes place on February 2. Every year, on the prescribed day, Punxsutawney Phil, Pennsylvania’s resident groundhog, comes out of his burrow and searches for his shadow. If he is successful, it is believed that there would be six more weeks of winter. If not, then an early spring is expected.

Sounds pretty superstitious, doesn’t it? Even so, Groundhog’s Day is being celebrated for years. Let us have a look at some factoids that make this holiday special.

Origin

The roots of Groundhog Day lie in Candlemas Day, a significant holiday celebrated by Christians all over Europe on the midpoint of the winter solstice and the spring equinox. On that day, the clergy would hand out candles for people to use during the remaining days of winter. It was believed that a cloudy Candlemas Day heralded early spring. On the contrary, if the day was sunny then winter would drag on. The Germans added their own twist to the tradition. They believed that winter would continue for six more weeks if a hedgehog casts its shadow on Candlemas Day. The Germans brought this festival to America when they started to settle in Pennsylvania in the 19^th century. However, as groundhogs are more common in America, they swapped the hedgehog with the groundhog.

Groundhog’s Day Cuisine of the Early Days

Revelers threw a party on Groundhog Day right from when the tradition started. However, in the early gatherings the weather forecaster, that is the groundhog, had a completely different role to play. It is believed that the early celebrators of Groundhog’s Day met up to eat a feast of myriad groundhog dishes. They also had a groundhog punch to quench their thirst. Gobbler’s Knob was their go-to party location.

The Legend of Punxsutawney Phil

It is believed that Punxsutawney Phil had been predicting the weather since 1887. The fact is that the average lifespan of a groundhog is around six to eight years. So, how is this possible? What is the secret to Phil’s apparent immortality? Well, it is believed that Phil is fed a drop of groundhog punch on February 2 every year. A single sip of this magic elixir adds seven years to his life. The recipe for this potent liquid is closely guarded by the keepers of Punxsutawney Phil

Phil & His Family

Punxsutawney Phil’s official name is no less grand than a royal monarch of the Middle Ages. His full name is Punxsutawney Phil, Seer of Seers, Sage of Sages, Prognosticator of Prognosticators, and Weather Prophet Extraordinary.

Our beloved groundhog has had quite an eventful life. After all, he has been alive for more than a decade. It is said that Phil had threatened to extend winter by sixty weeks if he was not given a drink during the Prohibition Era. Today, Phil is happily married to Phyllis. The blissfully wedded couple live in Punxsutawney Memorial Library spending their days amidst books till they are called upon on February 2. 

Rise to Fame & Almost Lawsuit

Though Groundhog Day has been celebrated since 1886, it was the 1993 movie Groundhog Day that made Punxsutawney Phil a household name. Phil co-starred Bill Murray and Andie MacDowell in the cult holiday film. After the release of the movie, Phil’s Pennsylvania hometown, Gobbler’s Knob, started being flocked by thousands of tourists on February 2.  In 1995, Phil was invited to be a guest on The Oprah Winfrey Show. Well, this does not mark an end to his brush with popularity. Even before the release of the movie, US President Ronald Reagan himself came to meet Phil.

We all know that fame comes with its liabilities. Our famous groundhog, Punxsutawney Phil was also not spared from those obligations. In 2013, a prosecutor from Ohio named Michael Gmoser demanded Phil’s death for fraudulent weather prediction. In an open letter, he stated that Phil had purposely predicted an early spring while in actuality there were heavy snowstorms and record-low temperatures. A law firm from Pennsylvania gave a strong rebuttal to Gmoser. They said that the Ohio lawyer had no jurisdiction in Punxsutawney. The firm also clarified that if the matter was taken to court then Phil would be backed by his Groundhog Day cos-tars, Bill Murray, Andie MacDonald, and Chris Elliot.

Accuracy of Weather Predictions

I am sure that many of you have been wondering how groundhogs can predict the weather with their shadows. Well, the answer to that question is that they can’t. However, groundhogs do have a way to forecast the end of winter. The sleepy groundhogs spent the winter hibernating in their underground homes. If they wake up and leave their abodes, it is eminent that spring is about the come.

As per Punxsutawney Phil loyalists, he has been 100% accurate in his weather predictions. However, that is far from the truth. As per Stormfax, Phil has been right only 39% of the time. It is actually a groundhog living in Yellowknife, Canada, who has been most accurate in his weather predictions.

Conclusion

Groundhog’s Day is a quirky holiday that actually gives you something to look forward to, especially if you are someone who is not too fond of the cold months. It also reminds us that we have been dependent on nature and wildlife for everything long before the emergence of technology.

So, are you hoping that Phil sees his shadow this February 2 or would you prefer an early spring? Do comment and let me know your thoughts.