Serving Boone, Blowing Rock, Banner Elk, and other towns of the North Carolina High Country | Founded 05-05-05

February 1, 2007 issue

The Candlemas and Groundhog Day Link

Groundhog Day Is February 2

Story by Celeste von Mangan

The groundhog is the only mammal to have a day named in his honor, and the powers attributed to the animal reflect longstanding traditions that Europeans brought to the United States.

The German immigrants known as the Pennsylvania Dutch celebrated Candlemas, the ritual purification of Mary, 40 days after the birth of Jesus on February 1, and Groundhog Day evolved from this tradition. The belief was that if Candlemas were sunny, the remaining six weeks of winter would be stormy and cold. If it rained or snowed on Candlemas, the remainder of winter would be mild.

Similarly, an old Scottish couplet advises, ”If Candlemas Day is bright and clear, there’ll be two winters in the year.”

Likewise, if an animal—now the groundhog—sees his shadow, presumably we’re in for six more weeks of winter. If he does not see his shadow, however, spring will arrive early.

There may be some basis for truth in the groundhog as a weather predictor because winter days can be especially cold when no clouds are overhead to insulate the earth and shadows are clearly visible.

Groundhogs are not the only animals used to predict the arrival of spring. Europeans used badgers, bears and the hedgehog before they immigrated to the United States. The hibernating mammals were used as forecasters because their emergence symbolized the imminent arrival of spring.

Punxsatawny Phil is the official United States groundhog, hailing from Punxsatawny Penn. The groundhog wakeup call is linked with its internal clock that is believed to be affected by changes in the amount of daylight. Increased daylight causes their bodies to produce a hormone that helps them wake up.

The year 2007 marks the 120th Groundhog Day. February 2 was chosen for Groundhog Day because it is midway between the Winter Solstice and the Spring Equinox. Candlemas is also a “cross quarter,” or a time of the year occurring halfway between the first day of winter and the first day of spring.