Ground Hog’s Day

January 29, 2010  
Filed under Upcoming Events

Ground Hog Day is on Tuesday February 2, this year. The only two countries that celebrate Ground Hog Day are the U.S and Canada. Everyone knows the folktale, if a groundhog emerges form its burrow on the 2nd of February and sees its shadow the groundhog will retreat into its burrow, and winter will continue for six more weeks. Only do you know It comes from German roots. Groundhogs day is based on a belief that on this day (February 2) the groundhog, or woodchuck, comes out of hole after winter hibernation to look for its shadow. If the shadow is seen, it’s a sunny day. And the groundhog foretells ’six more weeks of bad weather’ and thus a lingering winter. But spring is coming if no shadow is seen because of clouds. The groundhog then behaves accordingly. It goes back into the hole if the weather turns bad, but stays above ground if spring is near. The Groundhog Day came into being in North America during the late 1800s. Thanks to the combined effort of Clymer H. Freas, a newspaper editor, and W. Smith, an American Congressman and newspaper publisher. The Groundhog Day is also very popular in Canada and Wiarton Willy is the Groundhog that is used to predict the length of winter over there.