Why We Celebrate A Rodent

Groundhog Day is a Canadian and American tradition that is celebrated on Feb. 2. After winter hibernation, the groundhog comes out of his hole and becomes a four-legged weather predictor.

Residents of Punxsutawney, Pa., have laid claim to being the hometown of the groundhog, and their beast does get the most media coverage -- especially after playing a supporting role in the 1993 Bill Murray film "Groundhog Day." But Canadians in recent years declared the official rodent to be a resident of Wiarton, Ontario. "Dunkirk Dave" is another weather-forecasting groundhog who lives in Dunkirk, N.Y. And folks in Sun Prairie, Wis., have contended for 50 years that the real 'hog is their neighbor Jimmy the Groundhog.

Whoever he is, if he sees his shadow, it means that we will have six more weeks of bad weather. If he doesn't see it, it means that spring is coming early.

What Is The History Behind Groundhog Day?

Celtic Origin:

Some say Groundhog Day has its roots in an ancient Celtic celebration called Imbolog. Feb. 2 is one of the four cross-quarter days of the year -- i.e. the midpoints between the spring and fall equinoxes and the summer and winter sostice.

In a society dependent on agriculture and the weather, Imbolog was an important day. Therefore Imbolog was a time to celebrate having made it halfway through winter. The theory was that if the weather was fair on Imbolog, the second half of the winter would be cold and stormy. If the weather was cold and overcast, the second half of the winter would be mild.

The Candlemas Origin:

Candlemas Day is a Christian holiday that celebrates the Virgin Mary's ritual purification 40 days after the birth of Jesus. Early Christians believed that if the sun came out on Candlemas Day, winter would last for six more weeks.

An old English song describes Candlemas:

"If Candlemas be fair and bright,
"Come, Winter, have another flight;
"If Candlemas brings clouds and rain,
"Go Winter, and come not again."

Why Does Pennsylvania Call Itself The Official 'Groundhog Site'?

When Romans conquered European nations, some historians believe they brought the Christian tradition to the Teutons in what is now Germany. The Germans apparently revamped the tradition so that if the sun made an appearance on Candlemas Day, a hedgehog would cast a shadow to predict six more weeks of bad weather.

What does this have to do with Pennsylvania? Well, the earliest settlers of the area were Germans. And groundhogs closely resembled hedgehogs. They were cute and cuddly and hibernated in the same manner. So the groundhog took over the tradition of predicting weather.

The earliest American reference to Groundhog Day has reportedly been found at the Pennsylvania Dutch Folklore Center at Franklin and Marshall College.

It comes from the diary of storekeeper James Morris from Morgantown, Berks County, Pa.:

Feb. 4, 1841: "Last Tuesday, the 2nd, was Candlemas Day, the day on which, according to the Germans, 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."

Punxsutawney's Claim

Punxsutawney has history on its side. The first recorded Groundhog Day in Punxsutawney was on Feb. 2, 1886. The local newspaper, The Punxsutawney Spirit, declared: "Today is groundhog day and up to the time of going to press the beast has not seen its shadow."

The next year, a group of hunters held a groundhog hunt and picnic and celebrated the event by cooking their catch and drinking beer. (Sort of like a normal day in Punxsutawney in 2003.)

The city editor of the Spirit, Clymer Freas, dubbed the picnickers the "Punxsutawney Groundhog Club," later to be known as the "Inner Circle," and created a home for the groundhog on Gobbler's Knob.

The tradition has grown significantly since then. Each year, tens of thousands of people jam into the small Pennsylvania town to celebrate the arrival of the weather-prognosticating rodent.

Canadian Competition

"Wiarton Willie" is Phil's Canadian counterpart. Wee Willie is an albino groundhog who is growing in popularity in Canada. He took over for the first Wiarton Willie, who passed away just days before 1999's prediction was to be made.

And, of course, there are always the thousands of meteorologists around the country who have high-tech radar and satellites trying to upstage Phil.