An Unusual Holiday Means An Unsual History

I have come to the conclusion that my first year in college was definitely a weird one. There were new experiences and events I was a part of; some I liked and others that have easily been forgotten.

But one memory that will probably stay with me forever is the fact that I went to a Groundhog Day party.

Believe it or not, a party was held on the famous holiday. It didn’t take place because the host was trying to be witty, it just came about by accident. My friends and I we’re bored one weekend and we wanted to make something out of a boring and ordinary day.

Once everyone was at the venue (a friend’s living room) we finally realized that it was Groundhog Day. Surprisingly, that very day became one of the highlights of our first year in college.

Since then, we have been talking about having another party on the holiday. But aside from fun and games, what exactly is the unusual day about?

Groundhog Day, which is celebrated on February 2nd across the United States and Canada, has become a North American tradition. It is based on the belief that on the appointed day, the groundhog (also known as the woodchuck) comes out of its hole after winter hibernation to look for its shadow.

If it sees its shadow, then the groundhog foretells six more weeks of winter. If no shadow is seen because of the clouds, then the result is an early spring.

These predictions owe its origin to the European tradition of Candlemas (festival of lights). There is an old European statement that a sunny Candlemas day would lead the winter to last for 'another six weeks'.

Gradually the traditions at this Candlemas came to associate with them different folklores. The Germans 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.