Groundhog Day, February 2nd , is a day to celebrate. It will either mean six more weeks of winter or an early spring. An early spring is always something to celebrate when everyone is tired of the cold weather here in Pennsylvania. If it means six more weeks of winter, families will need some distraction and a party is always a good way to take our mind off the weather.
The most famous groundhog is Puxatawny Phil and he makes his appearance each year at a ceremony in central Pennsylvania. Families in the Lehigh Valley don’t have to travel far to be a part of a local Groundhog Day celebration. A local Groundhog Day event will be occur at Wehr’s Dam in South Whitehall complete with PA Dutch spoken and men in top hats presiding.
Legend says that Groundhog Day has it’s roots in the early European, Christian tradition of Candlemas. English and Scottish poetry reflect the custom of the day, one of which was to have clergy bless candles and distribute them to the people. If a hedgehog came out of hibernation on Candlemas and it was sunny he would see his shadow he would return to his sleep for six more weeks but if it was cloudy he would stay awake and an early spring was predicted.
According to an old English song:
If Candlemas be fair and bright,
Come, Winter, have another flight;
If Candlemas brings clouds and rain,
Go Winter, and come not again
The Germans picked up the traditions when the Roman legions conquered the northern country. They determined if an animal saw its shadow on Candlemas it would be six more weeks of bad weather or a second term of winter.
The Pennsylvania Germans established the tradition in the 18th and 19th centuries. The found groundhogs in America resembled European hedgehogs. Such an intelligent animal would see it’s shadow and hurry back to it’s den to wait out the wintery weather.
If you don’t want to go out early in the morning cold you can host a family Groundhog Day party. Here are some ideas:
- Put on a shadow play
- Watch the movie Groundhog Day.
- Have a flashlight scavenger hunt for stuffed animals.
- Play shadow tag.
- Learn a few words in Pennsylvania Dutch.
- Make Groundhog Day cupcakes
- Read Robert Frost’s poem, My Shadow
- Make top hats for everyone in the family
Most of all make a memoy and enjoy the day no matter what the groundhog's prediction is.
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