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Groundhog Day is celebrated on February 2, but do you know why? In the early 1800’s when the German settlers arrived in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, they brought a tradition with them called Candlemas Day. This day was celebrated on February 2, because it marked the beginning of spring planting.

The reason they celebrated on that day was because they believed that if any animal came out of its underground hibernation on that day, and the sun was out, there would be six more weeks of winter. If there was a longer winter, then the settlers would have to wait to plant their crops.

This European tale was soon adapted by the residents of Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania in the late 1880’s when they went in search of a groundhog on Candlemas Day. They found themselves on a hilltop known as “Gobbler’s Knob” and on that day in 1886 they named the groundhog they saw “Punxsutawney Phil.”

The following year, February 2, 1887, began the first official Groundhog Day. The way it works is if the day is sunny and Phil sees his shadow and is afraid of it, he will return to his hole to sleep for six more weeks and winter will last six weeks longer. If it’s cloudy, however, he won’t receive the sleep-inducing fright and an early spring will come. This just goes to show how other people’s beliefs and stories can turn into a major holiday!