Photo: Brett Carlsen/Getty Images
The groundhog day is a famous celebration in the city of Punxsutawney, in Pennsylvania (United States), in which the entire community prepares for a year to celebrate this international festival with food and music.
During this day, all eyes are on Phil’s Burrowthe rodent that will determine the date that spring begins.
Although the celebration in punxsutawney In the United States it is the most famous, it is not unique, since Groundhog Day crosses borders and is also commemorated in Canada, with a mascot and other different aspects.
Among the famous rodents that predict the date of each season are: Phill the Groundhog, Buckeye Chuck in Ohio, General Beauregard Lee in Georgia, Staten Island Chuck in New York, Wiarton Willie in Canada and Shubenacadie Samv in Nova Scotia.
History
Groundhog Day has roots in Christian tradition and German folklore. According to the Punxsutawney Groundhog Day Club, was adopted in Europe the belief that the weather at the Candelaria Festival (February 2) was an indication that marked the end of winter or its continuation.
But in Germany It was where the idea of the meteorologist animal was established: a porcupine was used, which if it came out of its hibernation and stayed awake, meant that winter was ending. But if ‘his shadow was seen’ and he fell asleep again, the locals were preparing for another six weeks of bad weather.
When the holiday arrived in the United States, it underwent a modification, since in North America there are no native porcupines, so a groundhog took the main role of this day.
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