Groundhog Day, celebrated on February 2, has its roots in a centuries-old tradition that blends both folklore and religious observance. The holiday originated from a blend of ancient European customs, specifically the Christian holiday of Candlemas, which marks the midpoint between the winter solstice and the spring equinox.
Candlemas was a day for people to predict how much longer winter would last, with various animals believed to have special weather-predicting abilities. In Germany it was believed that if a badger saw its shadow on Candlemas, it signified six more weeks of winter. When German immigrants, known as the Pennsylvania Dutch, arrived in the U.S., they adapted this custom, but instead of a badger, they chose the groundhog, a more abundant local animal.
The first official Groundhog Day celebration in the U.S. took place in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, in 1887, and since then, Punxsutawney Phil, the town's groundhog, has become a national symbol of the event.
The tradition is based on the belief that if the groundhog emerges from its burrow on February 2 and sees its shadow, it will retreat, predicting six more weeks of winter. If it does not see its shadow, an early spring is forecasted.
