5 facts about Groundhog Day

1. Groundhog Day. Groundhog Day - a traditional folk festival in Canada and the United States, celebrated annually on February 2. It is believed that on this day you need to watch the groundhog, crawls out of his hole, and his behavior can judge the proximity of spring.

If the day is overcast, groundhog does not see his shadow, and quietly leaves the burrow - winter will soon end and spring this year is expected early. If the day is sunny, the groundhog sees his shadow, and hides back into the hole - will be six more weeks of winter. In some towns and cities in the US and Canada this day festivals devoted to local weather marmots, collecting numerous tourists.

2. Origin. The history of the festival goes back to the very old days, when February 2 to the Gregorian calendar Christians of Europe was celebrated Candlemas. Even then, the weather on that day was considered responsible for the nature of the impending start of long-awaited spring. In North America, is still popular old Scottish proverb: «If Candlemas Day is bright and clear, there'll be two winters in the year» (If Candlemas Day is clear and cloudless - be two winters in the year).

3. Day hedgehog. The tradition of people shift the responsibility for long-term weather forecasts to "our younger brothers" began in ancient Rome, where he celebrated annually on February 2nd Day hedgehog. Meteorological forecast that day was based on behavior awakened urchin who saw or did not see his shadow. Western Europeans kept this tradition and in later periods, and the number of migrants from North America at the time, along with other traditions brought with them and her. On the other side of the ocean, where sea urchins were not found, the role of the meteorologist in charge went to the marmot.

4. Marmots-predictors. These days, there are seven of the most famous in the world marmot meteorologists: Pankssatoneysky Phil (Punxsutawney Phil), Uayrtonsky Willie (Wiarton Willie), Chuck of Staten Eylandt Zoo (Staten Island Chuck), Shubinakadsky Sam ( Shubenacadie Sam), Billy Balzaksky (Balzac Billy), Marmot Jimmy (Jimmy the Groundhog) and General Bearegard Lee (General Beauregard Lee).

5. Marmot superstar. groundhog living on turkey hill town in the mountains of Punxsutawney Pennsylvania (USA) - the first official groundhog meteorologist. For more than a hundred and twenty years, since 1887, people are watching the forecasts Pennsylvania groundhog. In honor of this event in the state held an annual festival, which became world famous after the movie "Groundhog Day", the star of which was now living there groundhog named Phil - the famous "rodent forecaster" in America.

Source: www.calend.ru

via factroom.ru