Groundhog Day
Image Credit: Skeeze
Groundhog Day is a holiday celebrated in United States and Canada on February 2nd each year.
What is Groundhog Day All About?
In weather lore, if a groundhog, also known as a woodchuck or marmot, emerges from its burrow on this day and fails to see its shadow because the weather is cloudy, winter will soon end. If on the other hand, it is sunny and the groundhog sees its shadow, the groundhog will supposedly retreat into its burrow, and winter will continue for 6 more weeks.
The official Groundhog Day celebration takes place in Punxsutawney in Pennsylvania USA, where the groundhog Punxsutawney Phil has been making predictions for over 120 years, apparently.
Groundhog Goes to the Movies
Since the release of the movie Groundhog Day, starring Bill Murray and Andie McDowell, the expression has come to mean a situation where the same events seem to happen over and over again.
The movie's hero, TV weatherman Phil Connors is sent to Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, to cover the annual Groundhog Day festivities. However Phil is caught in a giant blizzard and finds himself stuck in the small-town. Forced to stay overnight, he wakes the next morning to find it's Groundhog Day all over again, and he has to keep on doing that day until he gets it right.
How to Celebrate Groundhog Day
If you can't actually make it to Punxsutawney on the 2nd February, here are some great crafts, activities and colouring pictures for you to celebrate Groundhog day with.
- Groundhog Day Free Printable Wordsearch You could do it every day until you get it right.
- Classroom Activities for Groundhog Day has lots of great ideas for home eductors to use in their lessons includign colouring, puzzles, games, quizzes and history of Groundhog Day.
- Colouring Book has some nice Groundhog day colouring pictures.
- The Holiday Spot has lots of games, activites, printables and quizzes.
- Lil' Fingers has printable colouring pictures, a hide and seek game, and a Groundhog Spring Predictor game!
- Genius Kitchen has the recipe for some utterly adorable Groundhog day cupcakes.
- Zazzle have a selection of Groundhog Day gifts, bags, T-shirts, ties, mousemats, cards and more. Yes, really!
More Celebrations In February
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