Groundhogs Day

Has got to be the dumbest holiday...ok maybe it ain't a holiday,but they way news reporters act you would think it is.

Groundhog Day, celebrated across the United States and Canada, on February 2, is purely a North American tradition. It is based on a belief that on this day (February 2) the groundhog, or woodchuck, comes out of hole after winter hibernation to look for its shadow. If the shadow is seen, it's a sunny day. And the groundhog foretells 'six more weeks of bad weather' and thus a lingering winter. But spring is coming if no shadow is seen because of clouds. The groundhog then behaves accordingly. It goes back into the hole if the weather turns bad, but stays above ground if spring is near.

Thus weather prediction or prognostication came as an integral feature of Groundhog Day tradition. This prediction owes its origin to the European tradition of Candlemas. There is an old European supposition that a sunny Candlemas day would lead the winter to last for 'another six weeks'. Also celebrated on February 2, the was used to commemorate the Purification of the Virgin Mary. Candles for sacred uses were blessed on this day. Gradually the traditions at this Candlemas came to associate with them different folklores. The German added the belief of an animal, initially a hedgehog, being frightened by his shadow on Candlemas would foretell that winter would last another six weeks. This belief was brought in America during the 18th Century by the German settlers. These settlers adopted the groundhog as their weather predictor.

The Groundhog Day came into being in North America during the late 1800s. Thanks to the combined effort of Clymer H. Freas, a newspaper editor,W.Smith, an American Congressman and newspaper publisher. They organized and popularized a yearly festival in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, the State was populated predominantly by German settlers. The festival featured a groundhog named Punxsutawney Phil which used to foretell how long the winter would last. This very popular event is still being held and is called Groundhog Day.

There has been a concerted effort in popularizing and commercializing the Groundhog Day across the United States. Chuck Wood is The Committee for the commercialization of Groundhog Day's official mascot. The movie "Groundhog Day," has played a key role in popularizing the schedule of Events in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, on and around February 2. Apart from Pennsylvania, fascinating Groundhog Day events are also held in other states, especially, Nebraska, Tennessee, Georgia, Ohio, Arkansas, and California.

The Groundhog Day is also very popular in Canada and Wiarton Willy is the Groundhog that is used to predict the length of winter over there.

 

yes, i too think groundhogs day is dumb, but the movie is pretty good...

 

I remember seeing once this movie called Groundhog Day. I think Bill Murray was in it.
If someone wanted to torture me, they would just have to force me watch it and I'd suffer horribly. It has got to be one of the most boring movies ever.

 

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!

 

hahaha I take it you didnt like that movie

 

I guess you could say I didn't like it... It made me wanna slit my wrists and make Bill Murray clean up the mess.

 

classic movie

i can see how you thought it was boring though, considering that bill had to live every day over and over and over and over and.....over and over and ov......and over again.....but can you imagine what you would do with that time? become the best guitarist ever? eh? eh?

 

I almost fell asleep with all the over agains there.

Ehh.. well I'd imagine I'd wanna slit my wrists if I had to live one day over and over and over and over and over again. I wouldn't mind having all the extra time, but not if it would just mean repeating stuff. That would be hell.

What would YOU do with all that time then?

 

Groundhog's Day isn't dumb....it's my son's birthday!!! So we get cake and ice cream!

 

my friend "Trauma" also has a birthday today...no birthdays ain't dumb just all the hoopla about Groundhogs Day is dumb....and I wasn't talking about the movie either.

 

Well, that could be said about any celebration......hoopla is as hoopla does. Just remember that life is like a box of chocolates.....

 

right on, somewhere in the thread about "Fave quotes from a movie" that was the quote I wrote in...saw the Forrest Gump movie 3 times.

 

Most of you are bonkers... Groundhog day the movie is great and a lovely romantic comedy. Falling in love at first sight.. but being a jackass that can't think of other peoples feelings long enough to be the person that they truly are could be/is widspread (i hold my hands up.. guilty)..

If i could repeat a day (you don't do the same things over and over .. just try and make the 'perfect' day..in the end it means dropping the charade you carry around and be completly honest and genuine)..with the knowledge it would be with some one special then it would be cool.. i would go mad like bill though and end up killing myself in despair a few times..hahahaha but yeah its not a dumb film its quite sweet.

You people that don't like it are way to cynical

 

is that where he is trying to like kill himself? or somthing

 

The movie is great I would love that opportunity.

 

Bloody groundhog always sees his fucking shadow.....there is ALWAYS at least 6 weeks of winter after Feb. 2nd....in fact, thats a conservative estimate, I'd say there is always 8 or 9 more weeks.

I didn't mind the movie, beats that fawking overrated and annoying Forrest Gump someone was quoting

 

Quit picking on me, you big mean seamonster.... I liked Forrest Gump.

 

it seems a lot of people do...I hate it, I would especially hate it if I was southern (which thank god I'm not )Tom Hanks accent is awful in that, nobody has that stupid accent he made up


"Derr. I just started runnin'"

 

Now forrest gump is crap..

'life is like a box of choclates, you never know what your gonna get'

erm read the little bit of paper that tells you the contents ? a box of choclates does indeed tell you what your gonna get. I suppose this could be looked at that 'God' has a plan and everything is pre ordained .. i very much doubt this concept was running through the writers mind when they penned such a stupid line ?.

 

mathew, I'm starting to think "you and me is like peas 'n' carrots."