Groundhog Day — is a traditional folk holiday in the USA and Canada, celebrated annually on February 2.
According to popular tradition in the United States, on this day the groundhog is believed to crawl out of its hole after hibernation to check whether spring has come. If the groundhog sees its shadow (that is, if the day is sunny), then bad weather will remain for about 6 more weeks. If you don’t see the shadow (the weather is cloudy), then spring is just around the corner. It is also important whether the groundhog immediately climbs back into the house or sits outside for some time. If he immediately returns to the — house, it will get colder. And if he decides to stay in the air again, — will be in early spring.
«The official» American groundhog resides in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, and his name is Phil — «Punxsutawney Phil».
The celebration begins at night with loud music and the roar of fireworks. Early in the morning, at exactly twenty-five minutes past eight in the morning, in front of thousands of people watching the spectacle both live and on TV or the Internet, a group of gentlemen dressed in top hats and tuxedos comes to Turkey Hill. All of them are — members of the Groundhog Club from Punxsutawney. One of them has special powers: he is trusted to perform the main ritual — to pull the groundhog Phil out of his house and listen to Phil whisper his weather forecast for the next 6 weeks in his ear. According to legend, Phil whispers the forecast to club members in a special harsh language. This forecast is then announced to a number of people who specially arrive in Punxsutawney to witness this exciting event.
Phil is then placed on a special stage so that everyone can look at him, followed by a photo shoot and a tour to the city center, where festive festivities take place. Since 2010, tickets for a « breakfast with Phil» have been sold in Punxsutawney, where guests can take a photo with a marmot and even offer him a nut. It's not until the end of the day that Phil returns home.
Groundhog Day was first officially celebrated on February 2, 1887. Even then, the Marmot was solemnly given the name «Phil of Punxsutawney — Clairvoyant of Clairvoyants, Sage of Sages, Predictor of Predictors, and Eminent Seer of the Weather». And Phil’s homeland, the city of Punxsutawney itself, was called the «World Weather Capital». The first forecast came true — there was no shadow, early spring came!
But in general, the statistics, alas, do not confirm Phil’s predictions. According to records kept for more than 100 years, the marmot's forecast came true only... by 39%.
After the famous film «Groundhog Day, starring Bill Murray and Andy McDowell, was released in 1993, Punxsutawney's popularity skyrocketed. For example, in 1997, 35 thousand people came to see Phil — is 5 times more than the population of all cities in the district.
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