Happy Groundhog Day! Today has me wondering...(thought cloud)... When did Groundhog Day come around and why the groundhog? We will start with the second part of my thought...why the groundhog? Well - groundhogs, also known as woodchucks and marmots, are naturally shy animals. So, the weather lore is that their so shy that IF they see their shadow it will frighten them and they will retreat to their burrow to hide.
This is a great time to stop and talk about why the groundhog is 'hiding' in the first place!
Groundhogs are among the large amount of mammals that hibernate during the winter months, and they are usually starting to come out of their hibernation around the week of February 2nd. So, if they see their shadow they will retreat to their burrow and continue their hibernation for another 6 weeks until spring. There are plenty of parent/teacher crafts or other activities that can be done with children to help make the day fun!
And to answer the first part of my question: When did Groundhog Day first come into play? The earliest American reference came in 1841, when a store keeper recorded the day in his diary.
- "Last Tuesday, the 2nd, was Candlemas day, the day on which, according to the Germans, the Groundhog peeps out of his winter quarters and if he sees his shadow he pops back for another six weeks nap, but if the day be cloudy he remains out, as the weather is to be moderate."
And the tradition was born! Does your family have any traditions + activities that you would like to share? Leave them in the comment section for everyone to read!
