patching...
Welcome back, Patch Blogger!

Did Punxsutawney Phil See His Shadow on Groundhog Day?

With the recent cold snap, the prospect of Punxsutawney Phil predicting six more weeks of winter on Feb. 2 is especially daunting.

 

 

Groundhog Day is today, Feb. 2, and the recent Arctic temperatures are giving the day a bit more resonance than usual.

According to the myth, if a groundhog sees his shadow, there will be six more weeks of winter; if he does not, warmth is right around the corner with six more weeks 'til spring.

Last year, Pennsylvania's Punxsutawney Phil predicted six more weeks of winter while Staten Island Chuck saw his shadow. The question is, which marmot do you trust?

Groundhog Day and other similar legends are based on the beliefs of Europeans, but the true origins of the holiday are lost in time. The day originated from the Germans, Scots and early Christian Europeans.

It is celebrated every year on Feb. 2. On this day, a groundhog comes out of its burrow and checks for his shadow to determine how soon spring will arrive.

Groundhog Day as we know it in the U.S. started because the Pennsylvania Dutch farmers wanted to know if spring was coming early. That information helped them decide when they should plant seeds and half their hay.

Europeans used hedgehogs as the animal that determined the season change but Pennsylvania Dutch farmers chose the groundhog because they were found in greater numbers in North America. Groundhog Day stemmed from the ancient traditions of Candlemas, a holiday that originated in early Christian Europe that was celebrated by the Germans.

In central Pennsylvania, the people of Punxsutawney hold celebrations as they wait for Punxsutawney Phil, the native groundhog resident of the town, to come out of his burrow and check for his shadow.

Punxsutawney Phil is set to make his prediction around 7:20 a.m. Watch a live stream of the event here.

Update: Phil emerged from his burrow and didn't see his shadow—an early spring!

Tell Us: Do you think Phil's prediction will be correct? Share your opinion in the comments section below.

  • Do you think spring will come early this year?

    (Voting has been closed for this question)
    • Yes!
        2 (50%)
    • No
        2 (50%)
    Total votes: 4
  • Your vote will only count once. This is not a scientific poll. View Results Vote!
Related Topics: Groundhog Day, Groundhog Day History, Punxsutawney Phil, and Staten Island Chuck

Maryann Campling

3:08 pm on Saturday, February 2, 2013

He didn't see his shadow, so Spring is right around the corner (we'll probably get three feet of snow this week)! We used to have Haddonfield Georgie.....but a big, ugly fence now prevents him from making his daily appearances.

Reply

Leave a comment

 

The Gloucester Township Patch
Valentine's Shopping Guide

See the full guide!

Patch Picks