Ground·hog Day

Every February 2, according to legend, a groundhog wakes from his hibernation, climbs out of his warm burrow, has a look around. If he see his own shadow, it scares him right back into his burrow--and he doesn't appear for another six weeks. If, however, it is overcast and therefore no shadow, the groundhog feels he can wake up and start eating again...an early spring is expected.

Groundhog Day stems from an ancient celebration in Ireland, called Imbolc. Imbolc occurred halfway between the Winter Solstice-- first day of winter in the Northern Hemisphere,  about December 21--and the Spring or Vernal Equinox on or around March 21. Actually, it is the day, when night and day are the same length. This day is a sign that winter has surely gone and new grass will start to grow and the first lambs will be born. It was a time to shake off winter and to some real spring cleaning.

Although this is a European superstition, in North America, the Native Americans in the Delaware area held a belief about ancient creatures called the Lenni Lenapem, who were originally animals living in Mother Earth. This could be because hibernating animals emerging from burrows could seem to be coming from the center or the earth. It ws believed these animals would eventually live and hunt as men. They were called Oijik or Wojak which European settlers later mis-pronounced as Woodchuck.

Groundhog Day is the merging of these beliefs. Perhaps the most famous Groundhog is Punxsutawney Phil. Back in 1887,Clymer Freas, the city editor of the Punxsutawney Spirit Newspaper, started calling those who celebrated the appearance of the first groundhog of the season, the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club--and Phil, their mascot, became the official weather forecaster for the nation.