Punxsutawney Phil Saw His Shadow Today

Given the winter so far, six more weeks doesn't sound like a terrible punishment.  Here is how the whole thing started.

A long time ago, Groundhog Day and similar legends began as beliefs of Europeans, however its origins are lost in time. The day originated from the Germans, Scotts and early Christian Europeans. Today, it is celebrated every year on February 2.

On this day, a groundhog comes out of its burrow and checks for his shadow. If he doesn’t see his shadow, spring will come early by six weeks. If he does see his shadow, it is six more weeks of winter for Connecticut.

Groundhog Day as we know it started because the Pennsylvanian Dutch farmers wanted to know if spring was coming early or not. That information helped them determine when they should plant seeds and half their hay. Europeans used hedgehogs as the animal that determined the season change but Pennsylvanian Dutch farmers chose the groundhog because they were found in greater numbers in North America than in Europe.  Groundhog Day stemmed from the ancient beliefs of Candlemas, a holiday that originated in early Christian Europe that was celebrated by the Germans.

In Central Pennsylvania, the people of Punxsutawney, PA 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

In the 20th century, Groundhog Day and Punxsutawney Phil changed from being known only locally to gaining international renown. Phil and the town of Punxsutawney were shown in the 1993 movie “Groundhog Day,” where Phil was a star. He appeared at many international and political events including prohibition. During Prohibition, Phil threatened to have 60 weeks of winter imposed on Punxsutawney if he did not get a drink. Due to the popularity of Punxsutawney Phil, the town had an increase in tourism that brought thousands of people to town every year because they want to see Phil and hear his predictions on the seasons.