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Groundhog Day: history and traditions of the unusual holiday

How soon will spring arrive this year? Groundhog Phil will tell you! February 2 is Groundhog Day in the United States and Canada. And, if in the Old World this holiday became known only after the release of the movie of the same name, in North America it has been celebrated for 139 years. Let's find out what is unusual about this day and what attracts tourists to the small town of Punxsutawney once a year.

What is the essence of the holiday

Although Groundhog Day has been officially celebrated since 1887, for over a hundred years, few people knew much about it. Outside of the United States, of course. It became popular only in 1993, when the movie "Groundhog Day" with Bill Murray was released. The essence of this local holiday is as follows: Groundhog Phil lives in the state of Pennsylvania, in the town of Punxsutawney. On the morning of February 2, he is brought to a specially equipped burrow, with an exit from the stump. When the audience gathers, the doors are opened, the groundhog comes out and "looks" at his shadow. If the groundhog is "scared" and runs back into the burrow, it means that winter will last for another 6 weeks. And if it doesn't, spring will soon arrive. After the release of the movie, interest in the town grew, and in early February Punxsutawney receives thousands of tourists.

Where does the tradition of Groundhog Day come from?

The fact is that in Pennsylvania from the 17th century there were many German immigrants who brought with them customs from their homeland. In German folklore there was an omen - "if a badger sees his shadow on February 2, the winter will last 4 weeks". But when they moved to America, the badger was replaced by the groundhog, and winter was extended to 6 weeks. In this case, February 2 coincides with the Catholic holiday - Purification of the Lord. Therefore, the omen with weather prediction is often associated with this day.

Interesting facts about marmots

How much do we know about groundhogs? By the way, do you remember the famous words from the song to Beethoven's music "... and my groundhog is with me"? These lines were written by Goethe in the late 18th century. The song is about a boy and his trained pet groundhog.

Groundhogs also eat grass, live in burrows and have thick, warm fur. Although a marmot weighs an average of 6 kilograms, they need a lot of food. An adult marmot can eat up to a kilogram of food at one meal!

Pennsylvania groundhog Phil has "competitors" who live in other U.S. cities and in Canada. Not only do they give their own forecasts that are different from Phil's, but they are also ahead of him. For example, a groundhog in Canada predicts the weather a full hour ahead of Phil because of the time zone difference.

What does the expression "Groundhog Day" mean

The expression "Groundhog Day" became a nickname after the release of the movie of the same name in 1993. And now it means a series of similar days. For example, this is what parents on maternity leave say about their everyday life.

Our blog has a selection of 27 movies about life in the United States. If you are interested in the culture and everyday life of ordinary Americans, check out this article.

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Submit a request for a free first session with a guidance counselor to get to know each other, determine your goals, and match your child with an educator
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Submit a request for a free first session with a guidance counselor to get to know each other, determine your goals, and match your child with an educator
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Submit a request for a free first session with a guidance counselor to get to know each other, determine your goals, and match your child with an educator