Punxsutawney Phil Groundhog Day
Tuesday, February 2, 2010 at 7:15 pm
Punxsutawney Phil Groundhog Day, Punxsutawney Phil’s Annual 
Prediction And Groundhog Day 2010 – Punxsutawney Phil (the most famous groundhog) The Groundhog Day 2010 is today. “Groundhog Day is a lot like a rock concert but the people are better behaved and there’s a groundhog involved,” said Tom Chapin, editor of the Punxsutawney Spirit newspaper.
Regardless of the weather prediction, on Groundhog Day, Phil “speaks” to his human caretakers, known as the Inner Circle, in Groundhogese and tells them his forecast. The Inner Circle then translates Phil’s words for the world to hear—or so they say.
Groundhog Day is a holiday celebrated on February 2. It is held in the United States and Canada. According to folklore, if a groundhog emerging from its burrow on this day fails to see its shadow, it will leave the burrow, signifying that winter will soon end. If on the other hand,the groundhog sees its shadow, the groundhog will supposedly retreat into its burrow, and winter will continue for six more weeks.
The holiday, which began as a Pennsylvania German custom in southeastern and central Pennsylvania in the 18th and 19th centuries, has its origins in ancient European weather lore, wherein a badger or sacred bear is the prognosticator as opposed to a groundhog.
The holiday also bears some similarities to the medieval Catholic holiday of Candlemas. It also bears similarities to the Pagan festival of Imbolc, the seasonal turning point of the Celtic calendar, which is celebrated on February 2 and also involves weather prognostication.
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