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That’s exactly what happens.Īlthough Punxsutawney Phil is a true legend, there are other groundhogs out there trying to scratch their way to the spotlight. Now, I know what you’re thinking: On Groundhog Day does Punxsutawney Phil speak Groundhogese to the President of the Inner Circle, who then translates Phil’s forecast for the world to hear? Yes, my friend.
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The Inner Circle always dons top hats wherever they escort Phil, and if I had to guess, they’re hiding the secret recipe to that groundhog punch in there… According to the group, every summer at the Groundhog Picnic, Phil drinks “groundhog punch” which extends his lifespan 7 more years. An elite group called the Inner Circle cares for Phil year-round and claims there has only ever been one Punxsutawney Phil.
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He’s America’s groundhog sweetheart, like the Taylor Swift of groundhogs, if you will. Punxsutawney Phil is the official prognosticating groundhog of Pennsylvania (and let’s face it, the entire planet). If you have no idea who Punxsutawney Phil is, don’t worry, I was in the same boat about 2 weeks ago, so I can fill you in on the basics. If you’re a fan of Punxsutawney Phil, I bet your jaw is on the floor right now. But did you know that the first prognosticating groundhog was cooked and eaten as a meal after his first prediction? I’m guessing you didn’t. When the Germans settled in America, the hedgehog population was unfortunately not booming, so they shifted their meteorological trust to an animal abundant in the area at the time: the groundhog.Įveryone knows that if a groundhog sees its shadow on Groundhog Day, there will be six more weeks of winter, and that if there is no shadow, there will be an early spring. Christians used to rely on candles to predict how long the winter would be, a tradition they called Candlemas, but the Germans decided to put a strange spin on it and rely on a hedgehog’s shadow instead. However, the odd tradition of using an animal to predict weather actually began in Germany long before then. The first Groundhog Day was on Februat Gobbler’s Knob in Punxsutawney, PA. From murder and shady schemes to less-than-impressive statistics, here are the most unexpected, strange, and fascinating facts about Groundhog Day. However, as I learned more and more about Groundhog Day, the bizarre and conspiracy-riddled holiday revealed its darkest secrets. When I first began my Groundhog Day research endeavor, I didn’t expect to find anything interesting.
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Crews are sent out and meteorologists report live from the field about various groundhog predictions. Wouldn’t it be the same if any human saw their shadow? What’s so special about a groundhog? Why is this holiday even a thing? At The Weather Channel, Groundhog Day is a big deal. Personally, I’ve never understood why we rely on an animal’s shadow to predict our weather. If you’ve ever thought to yourself, “Groundhog Day is a weird holiday”, then you’re definitely not alone.
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