Groundhog day is celebrated on February 2 when a groundhog predicts the weather for the next 6 weeks...if it is a sunny day and the groundhog sees his shadow then it will remain winter for another 6 weeks. It's origins lie with the romans who believed that if an animal cast a shadow on Candlemas day, there will be 6 more weeks of winter. They brought this tradition to Europe when doing their conquering thing. The Scots even have a saying "if Candlemas day is bright and clear, there'll be two winters in the year". The earliest settlers in eastern USA were Germans and they brought this tradition to America and decided the groundhog was the most intelligent animal for the job. From the early 1800's people in Punxsutawny, Pennsylvania began to celebrate this event at a place outside town called 'gobblers knob' and it has been celebrated there ever since. The groundhog is called Phil and the inner circle of the groundhog club are the ones to release him from his burrow. They wear top hats and tails for such an important occasion.
lottie made punxsutawny phil from thumb printing
top hats for the inner circle
where the event takes place
pennsylvania dutch potato doughnuts
phil just told lottie his weather prediction...
phil did not see his shadow signalling an early end to winter
we ate schnitzel with potatoes and corn and gravy followed by doughnuts; and drank spiced apple juice....we made the top hats to join the inner circle so we are privvy to hear phil's prediction...we also had to speak in german accents or be fined pennies
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