happy Groundhog Day! whatever that means.
If you're new to the US, this may be one of the most random and perplexing holidays that you'll encounter.
what is a groundhog? why on earth are we celebrating it? and who is this Punxsatawney Phil?
this my friends is a groundhog. it's a creature in the rodent family, and to me it kind of looks like a giant squirrel that's been hogging all the nuts.
Punxsatawney Phil is the most famous of all the groundhogs...quite a groundhog celebrity.
every february 2nd in Punxsatawney, Pennsylvania when he emerges from his hole there are thousands of people and new stations waiting for him.
because on february 2nd of each year he predicts the seasons...
if he pops out and sees his shadow, that means that there will be 6 more weeks of winter, and if he doesn't, then that means warmer weather is on the way.
make sense now? ok, not really. so what is the history behind this holiday? it kind of sounds like someone just made it up.
as a native born american, i actually had no idea of the origins of this day, so consulted my friend 'wikipedia', and his is what he had to say:
"The holiday, which began as a Pennsylvania German custom in southeastern and central Pennsylvania in the 18th and 19th centuries, has its origins in ancient European weather lore, wherein a badger or sacred bear is the prognosticator as opposed to a groundhog.[6] The holiday also bears some similarities to the medieval Catholic holiday of Candlemas.[7] It also bears similarities to the PaganImbolc, the seasonal turning point of the Celtic calendar, which is celebrated on February 1 and also involves weather prognostication.[8] and to St. Swithun's Day in July."
even more confused? me too.
but i think this really tells us about the fabric of America. the melting pot.
immigrants from so many countries have come here, and settled together, and lived among each other, that it's hard to know sometimes where an idea might have originated...because we've all embraced it.
but basically the groundhog and other animals with a tendency to hiberate during the colder months where used as a gauge by our forefathers to understand the climate and seasons...and some how along the way a fun tradition sprung from it all.
so happy Groundhog Day to you all!
how do you think your own culture has influenced the fabric of America?
If you're new to the US, this may be one of the most random and perplexing holidays that you'll encounter.
what is a groundhog? why on earth are we celebrating it? and who is this Punxsatawney Phil?
this my friends is a groundhog. it's a creature in the rodent family, and to me it kind of looks like a giant squirrel that's been hogging all the nuts.
Punxsatawney Phil is the most famous of all the groundhogs...quite a groundhog celebrity.
every february 2nd in Punxsatawney, Pennsylvania when he emerges from his hole there are thousands of people and new stations waiting for him.
because on february 2nd of each year he predicts the seasons...
if he pops out and sees his shadow, that means that there will be 6 more weeks of winter, and if he doesn't, then that means warmer weather is on the way.
make sense now? ok, not really. so what is the history behind this holiday? it kind of sounds like someone just made it up.
as a native born american, i actually had no idea of the origins of this day, so consulted my friend 'wikipedia', and his is what he had to say:
"The holiday, which began as a Pennsylvania German custom in southeastern and central Pennsylvania in the 18th and 19th centuries, has its origins in ancient European weather lore, wherein a badger or sacred bear is the prognosticator as opposed to a groundhog.[6] The holiday also bears some similarities to the medieval Catholic holiday of Candlemas.[7] It also bears similarities to the PaganImbolc, the seasonal turning point of the Celtic calendar, which is celebrated on February 1 and also involves weather prognostication.[8] and to St. Swithun's Day in July."
even more confused? me too.
but i think this really tells us about the fabric of America. the melting pot.
immigrants from so many countries have come here, and settled together, and lived among each other, that it's hard to know sometimes where an idea might have originated...because we've all embraced it.
but basically the groundhog and other animals with a tendency to hiberate during the colder months where used as a gauge by our forefathers to understand the climate and seasons...and some how along the way a fun tradition sprung from it all.
so happy Groundhog Day to you all!
how do you think your own culture has influenced the fabric of America?
One of my favorite movies is 'Groundhog Day'. It's a comedy that everyone should watch!
ReplyDeleteI bet only a handful of Americans know how this holiday came to be.
BTW HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR!!
I am from India, and I would say Costco is how we have influenced the fabric of America!
ReplyDeleteEver wonder why so many Indians shop there?