Waiting with (Frosty) Bated Breath for Groundhog Day
With the recent cold snap, the prospect of Punxsutawney Phil predicting six more weeks of winter is especially daunting. Check out Morton Arboretum for local Groundhog Day events.
Groundhog Day is on Saturday, Feb. 2, and the recent Arctic temperatures are giving the day a bit more resonance than usual. According to the myth, if a groundhog sees his shadow, there will be six more weeks of winter; if he does not, spring is right around the corner. Last year, Pennsylvania's Punxsutawney Phil predicted six more weeks of winter while Staten Island Chuck called for an early spring. Groundhog Day originated from the Germans, Scots and early Christian Europeans. It is celebrated every year on Feb. 2. On this day, a groundhog comes out of its burrow and checks for his shadow to determine how soon spring will arrive. Groundhog Day as we know it in the U.S. started because the Pennsylvania Dutch farmers wanted to know if …
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