GROUNDHOG DAY (Harold Ramis, 1993) | Buy Tickets
Everyone knows about Punxsutawney Phil and his ability to let us know, by going back in his hole or not, whether we’ll have more winter or spring soon. But did you know the long, international history behind Groundhog Day? (Note: it doesn’t have anything to do with Bill Murray). We’ve listed our favorite factoid below but be sure to visit Groundhog.org for all the interesting details!
Pennsylvania’s earliest settlers were Germans and they found groundhogs to in profusion in many parts of the state. They determined that the groundhog, resembling the European hedgehog, was a most intelligent and sensible animal and therefore decided that if the sun did appear on February 2nd, so wise an animal as the groundhog would see its shadow and hurry back into its underground home for another six weeks of winter.
The Germans recited:
For as the sun shines on Candlemas Day,
So far will the snow swirl until the May.
Post by Caryn Coleman @caryn_coleman