How to Celebrate Groundhog Day

Every February 2nd, the United States and Canada celebrate Groundhog Day to check up on Punxsutawney Phil and see whether he saw his shadow this year. Supposedly, if the Pennsylvanian groundhog sees his shadow, North America can expect six more weeks of winter. If he doesn't, spring is just around the corner. Learn how to observe Groundhog Day traditions, where to find Groundhog Day celebrations, and what to do if you want to host a Groundhog Day party.

[Edit]Steps

[Edit]Observing the Day

1. Read up on Groundhog Day history. Whether you research alone or with friends, learn about the origins of Groundhog Day. In medieval German culture, people believed that hedgehogs could predict winter if it saw its shadow. When some Germans immigrated to Pennsylvania, they brought this tradition with them but switched to groundhogs. The first recognized Groundhog Day celebration was February 2, 1887, when the town of Punxsutawney dubbed their groundhog Phil America's weather-forecasting animal.^[1]
   
   • Groundhog Day history can be intriguing, once you study it. For example: did you know that during the Prohibition, Punxsutawney Phil supposedly threatened to impose 60 weeks of winter if he didn't get a drink?^[2]
2. Watch Punxsutawney Phil emerge from his burrow on TV. At daybreak in Punxsutawney, reporters gather around the groundhog's den to watch him emerge from his burrow. Get up early in the morning to watch this momentous event on TV. Be prepared for a long winter if he sees his shadow!
   
   • Call or email your local station if you're not sure what channel is broadcasting the event.
   • If you live in the eastern US coast, you can travel to Punxsutawney to watch Phil in-person at his burrow in Gobber's Knob.^[3]
3. Go on a nature walk. If groundhogs are native to your environment, go on a hike or trail walk and look for groundhogs (also known as woodchucks).^[4] Go with a group and make a game out of who can spot the most groundhogs. If you can't see any, enjoy the fresh air and see if there really will be six more weeks of winter.
   
   • Visit your local zoo if groundhogs aren't native to your area. Call ahead to ask if your zoo has a groundhog exhibit.
4. Play with shadow puppets. To celebrate the importance of Punxsutawney Phil's shadow, make your own shadow puppets out of paper. Outline your shadow puppet on a piece of paper, then cut it out and attach it to a popsicle stick. After you've created your puppets, put on a puppet show.
   
   • You could even make a puppet show about the true meaning of Groundhog Day.

[Edit]Joining Celebrations

1. Ask your teacher if you can celebrate Groundhog Day in class. If you're still in secondary school, let your teacher know Groundhog Day is coming a few days in advance. Let them know how much you enjoy Groundhog Day, and ask them if you can learn about Groundhog Day as a class. Your teacher might even plan some fun Groundhog Day festivities, like making Groundhog Day crafts or watching Punxsutawney Phil on TV together.
   
   • If you'd like, ask your teacher if you could bring a Groundhog Day-themed treat, like groundhog-shaped cookies or Groundhog Day cupcakes.^[5]
2. Look for local festivities happening in your city. Some cities in North America have their own Groundhog Day celebrations. Depending on the town, they might have a parade, town festival, or live animal shows celebrating Groundhog Day. Contact your city government to find out about Groundhog Day festivities for times and locations.
   
   • All is not lost if your city doesn't celebrate Groundhog Day. Celebrate it with your loved ones or visit a city that has special events.
3. Check out a groundhog lodge festival. Groundhog lodges are clubs in Pennsylvania that preserve German immigrant culture. Dozens of groundhog lodges across the state celebrate Groundhog Day with food, games, speech, and songs. Look for a lodge closest to you, and join in on their celebrations.^[6]
   
   • Because groundhog lodges seek to preserve the dying Pennsylvania German dialect, speeches will often be given in this language.^[7]
4. Visit Punxsutawney's annual celebration. Besides watching Phil leave his burrow, Punxsutawney also hosts an entire weekend of festivities. In the morning, town citizens gather for an annual breakfast. A celebration tent in the center of town hosts fun activities, like a cornhole tournament and top hat decorating contest. Then, in the evening, you can join the Groundhog Ball at the local country club.^[8]
   
   • In the off-season, Punxsutawney also hosts a wine festival where Punxsutawney Phil makes a special appearance.^[9]

[Edit]Hosting a Party

1. Decorate your house in a forest theme. To set the mood for your party, make your home look like the Punxsutawney forest. Cut out pine trees from butcher paper and hang them up on the wall. Use flowers or pinecones as a table centerpiece. You could even have your party outdoors to really set the mood.
   
   • Alternatively, you could separate a room into winter and spring decorations to represent Punxsutawney Phil's big moment.^[10]
2. Ask guests to come dressed in costume. Your guests don't necessarily have to come dressed up as groundhogs. Instead, ask them to come dressed as their favorite woodland animal. If your guests are not as passionate about groundhogs, they could come as a deer, bear, fox, wolf, or owl.
   
3. Watch the 1993 film Groundhog Day. Bill Murray's Groundhog Day features a weatherman who must experience the same day over and over until he learns a valuable lesson. Since Groundhog Day thrust the holiday into popular culture, there's no better movie to show at your party. Snuggle up with your friends and a bowl of popcorn, and have a good laugh together.^[11]
   
   • If you do not want to watch Groundhog Day, you could watch a nature documentary on groundhogs instead.
4. Create your own groundhog masks. For a fun party craft, make groundhog masks out of cardstock. Draw your outline on the cardstock, then cut it out with a sharp pair of scissors. Color your mask with markers, paints, or crayons, then attach ribbon to the sides. You and your guests can now celebrate Groundhog Day in style.^[12]
   
   • As an alternative, you could make animal masks to complement your guests' costumes.
5. Bake Groundhog Day treats. No party is complete without treats. You could make traditional Groundhog Day cookies (popularized on the official Punxsutawney website), or you could make a festive cake.^[13] Because groundhogs eat vegetation, you could also leave out a veggie tray or fruit bowl.
   
   • To complete the woodland theme, make a trail mix for your guests to enjoy.

[Edit]Tips

• Groundhogs are also known as whistling pigs, woodchucks, and thickwood badger. Its scientific name is marmota monax.
• Celebrating Groundhog Day is most fun with kids. Help your children or younger siblings with fun activities and teach them about the Groundhog Day tradition.
• If you want to visit Punxsutawney, you will need to make travel reservations in advance.
• Wear a light jacket if you go on a nature walk or watch Punxsutawney Phil outdoors. You don't want to catch a cold from the chilly winter weather if Phil does see his shadow this year!

[Edit]References

[Edit]Quick Summary

1. ↑ https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/first-groundhog-day
2. ↑ http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/02/01/groundhog-day-a-history-a_n_441000.html
3. ↑ http://www.roadsideamerica.com/story/17332
4. ↑ http://blog.nwf.org/2011/01/10-things-you-may-not-know-about-groundhogs/
5. ↑ http://www.cookingchanneltv.com/recipes/photos/foods-to-celebrate-groundhog-day
6. ↑ http://www.lynnheidelberg.org/groundhoglodge.html
7. ↑ http://www.pgs.org/dialect.asp
8. ↑ http://www.groundhog.org/events/
9. ↑ http://www.groundhog.org/events/gobblers-knob-wine-festival/
10. ↑ http://www.purpletrail.com/partytrail/groundhog-day-party-planning-ideas/
11. ↑ http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0107048/
12. ↑ http://www.purpletrail.com/partytrail/groundhog-day-party-planning-ideas/
13. ↑ http://www.groundhog.org/teachers/groundhog-cookies/