Phil and Will...Hope it's Gloomy!

[TBow]

Well that most famous of days is soon upon us....Groundhog Day! And Punxsutawney Phil in Pa and Wiarton Willie here in Canuckistan, will be ousted from their sub-terra winter domain on February 2nd to sample the wintery conditions to indicate to us if winter be longer or shorter....arghhhhhhh!

So to all you bad little boys and girls, be yea aware that the Ides of February be soon upon yea. Be yea bad, and yea be destined to an eternity of Sunny & Cher awakenings :poke:!!!

O.K. Without y'all sneaking into Google or the like, anyone know where the history of Groundhog Day originated from. Not just the location (cause we all know it's Punxsutawney, Pa), but from what superstition or origin was it derived from.

TBow

[buckee]

I haven't got a clue. I always thought it was just a fun thing to do, to break the monotony of winter...LOL

[Tominator]

No clue. Just a bunch of bored drunk folks in the dead of winter thinking up things to do.

[RangerClay]

No clue. Just a bunch of bored drunk folks in the dead of winter thinking up things to do.

LOL! I like that one!

[TBow]

O.K. this is proof positive that I have WAY TOO much time on my hands with nothing to do. Here's the story:

When German settlers arrived in Punxsutawney in the 1700s, they brought a tradition known as Candlemas Day, which has an early origin in the pagan celebration of Imbolc. It came at the mid-point between the Winter Solstice and the Spring Equinox. Superstition held that if the weather was fair, the second half of Winter would be stormy and cold. For the early Christians in Europe, it was the custom on Candlemas Day for clergy to bless candles and distribute them to the people in the dark of Winter. A lighted candle was placed in each window of the home. The day's weather continued to be important. If the sun came out February 2, halfway between Winter and Spring, it meant six more weeks of wintry weather.

The earliest American reference to Groundhog Day can be found at the Pennsylvania Dutch Folklore Center at Franklin and Marshall College:

February 4, 1841 - from Morgantown, Berks County (Pennsylvania) storekeeper James Morris' diary..."Last Tuesday, the 2nd, was Candlemas day, the day on which, according to the Germans, the Groundhog peeps out of his winter quarters and if he sees his shadow he pops back for another six weeks nap, but if the day be cloudy he remains out, as the weather is to be moderate."

According to the old English saying:

If Candlemas be fair and bright,

Winter has another flight.

If Candlemas brings clouds and rain,

Winter will not come again.

From Scotland:

If Candlemas Day is bright and clear,

There'll be two winters in the year.

From Germany:

For as the sun shines on Candlemas Day,

So far will the snow swirl until May.

For as the snow blows on Candlemas Day,

So far will the sun shine before May.

And from America:

If the sun shines on Groundhog Day;

Half the fuel and half the hay.

If the sun made an appearance on Candlemas Day, an animal would cast a shadow, thus predicting six more weeks of Winter. Germans watched a badger for the shadow. In Pennsylvania, the groundhog, upon waking from mid-Winter hibernation, was selected as the replacement.

Pennsylvania's official celebration of Groundhog Day began on February 2nd, 1886 with a proclamation in The Punxsutawney Spirit by the newspaper's editor, Clymer Freas: "Today is groundhog day and up to the time of going to press the beast has not seen its shadow." The groundhog was given the name "Punxsutawney Phil, Seer of Seers, Sage of Sages, Prognosticator of Prognosticators, and Weather Prophet Extraordinary'' and his hometown thus called the "Weather Capital of the World.'' His debut performance: no shadow - early Spring. The legendary first trip to Gobbler's Knob was made the following year.

There y'all go! The epitimy of useless information! Now y'all are the keepers of this story and charged with passing it on to countless generations.......because they need to know too! :sleep1:

Edited January 31, 2010 by TBow

[buckee]

Thanks...I can sleep now Tbow