Everyone knows that February is the month for romance. Flowers, chocolates, hearts and cupids shower the shelves of nearly every store, making it nearly impossible to break the link between February and Valentine’s Day. However, this leaves us forgetting another holiday, a staple of American culture: Groundhog’s Day. So here is one writer’s humble attempt to remind the masses that, a now C- List celebrity, Phil the Groundhog, needs love too. Let’s restore the origins of his fame.
Celebrated on February 2nd, it began in Pennsylvania, in 1887. The German settlers found that groundhogs were plentiful and were the most intelligent and sensible animal to carry on the tradition that they brought from their home country, known there as “Candlemas Day”.
It is now carefully carried on by the Groundhog Club’s Inner Circle members which, including Phil, holds 16. They plan the day’s events and, more important, they feed and care for Phil. As part of this prestigious tradition, the gentlemen wear top hats and suits on Feb. 2. Held in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, crowds as large as 40,000 gather every year to watch Phil check for his shadow. This past weekend, Phil saw his shadow. Yes, his accuracy rate is just 39%, but who’s counting? Let’s prepare for six more weeks of winter weather!