On February 2, Groundhog’s Day celebrations are found in the U.S. and Canada. There’s a bit more to this legend than meets the eye. On a coffee break with 3Bros stroopwafel, we did a little digging and found these facts that take us backward in time.
The earliest American celebration is pegged to 1840. So this special day goes back almost 200 years. The whole legend of “seeing a shadow” on February 2 goes back much further than that.
How Old is Punxsutawney Phil?
Punxsutawney Phil, the best-known groundhog, is about 135 years old. The first known public celebration at Gobbler’s Knob was 1887. However, the groundhog’s special name dates back only to 1961. Obviously, part of the fun is pretending that this exact animal has been making predictions since the 1880s.
Pennsylvania Dutch Origins
The U.S. tradition has its roots in Germany and Austria, coming to the U.S. with immigrants in the 1700s and 1800s. Early waves of these settlers made their homes in what became Pennsylvania. After many generations, these German Americans of the 1800s called themselves the Pennsilfaanisch Deitsch (Pennsylvania German)to differentiate themselves from more recent German immigrants. English speakers anglicized the word and the name Pennsylvania Dutch is still used to this day, even though they didn’t originate from The Netherlands but from neighboring Germany.
Groundhogs, Badgers and Bears, Oh My!
A groundhog was not the original animal connected to this tradition.The bear or fox may have been the original one to “see its shadow”. The idea was that the animal, the bear, would go back into hibernation if winter would be long or stay above ground if winter would soon end.
When bears grew scarce in Europe, the badger took over the job. There’s also a European marmot similar to the groundhog that may have gotten the honor in some towns. As Germanic immigrants moved to the U.S, they were probably adapting to the fact groundhogs were so common in Pennsylvania.
Why is the Prediction Four to Six Weeks?
Some legends said four weeks. Others said six weeks. It may have to do with the normal timing of spring weather from region to region. The day marks the midpoint between the Winter Solstice and the Spring Equinox.
Why is Groundhog’s Day February 2?
February 2 was the traditional celebration of Candlemas in the Catholic church, and this tradition continued in the German Protestant church. It was probably based on superstitions much older than the arrival of the Catholic religion in those parts of Europe. After all, the Romans celebrated their goddess Februa on this day. The Celts held a four-day celebration, including February 2, to mark the halfway point between winter and spring.
Why is a Sunny Day a Bad Thing?
How can a sunny day be a bad sign? After all, the day has to be sunny for the groundhog to see its shadow. This reflects a very old European superstition that a warm and sunny February 2 was a sign of more bad winter weather to come. Perhaps a dreary day was more likely, and this was a way of cheering each other up during the worst part of winter.
Why not February 1?
Ireland and Scotland, which have the old Gaelic calendar in common, have been known to mark February 1 for similar weather-predicting activities. In Ireland, the animal is a hedgehog. In Scotland, a snake decided if spring would soon arrive. On the Isle of Man, the legend centered around a large bird.
Well, now you know more about Groundhog’s Day!
We invite you to find some scrumptious stroopwafels for the days ahead. If it’s wintry weather, you’ll love curling up with a cup of coffee or tea and the caramel goodness of stroop. If we start toward spring, a wrapped stroopwafel is the ultimate treat to bring along on new adventures.
