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There are those who celebrate Groundhog Day?
Who knew?
The Celts celebrate February 1 as Imbolc, the halfway point between the winter solstice and spring equinox and the ensuing festivities are a late winter fertility ritual. Groundhog Day is much the same. It began as a German celebration to commemorate the midpoint of winter There was an old German tale that badgers could predict when spring would begin but in Pennsylvania badgers were scarce to be found so groundhogs had to do.
Pinterest has lots of ideas for Groundhog Day celebrations - again, how did I not know this? Formal wear is appropriate dress, with men in tuxedos and women in evening gowns and it’s suggested that the gown “sizzles sexuality”. It is, after all, a late winter fertility ritual
Have some groundhog milk (who milks these things? Those must be some tiny little 3-legged stools!) or Woodchuck Hard Cider. Host a pig roast. Play Pin the tail on the Groundhog. Sip some groundhog punch which is a mixture of vodka, milk, eggs and orange juice. Watch Groundhog Day. Watch Groundhog day. Watch Groundhog Day.
The tradition of Ground hog Day has been going on in Pennsylvania for almost 150 years. I’m sure you’ve seen it on television: on February 2, men in top hats and tails make their way to Gobblers’ Knob and drag poor sleeping Puxatawney Phil out of his warm burrow. If he sees his shadow, six more weeks of winter. If it’s a cloudy day, an early spring. Do they not have windows? You’d think they’d be able to determine that forecast without animal cruelty (at least I think it’s cruel when someone wakes me from a nap for a stupid reason).
Or at least do like we do in Galveston: if the palm tree sees its shadow, six more weeks of winter but a cloudy day means beach weather is just around the corner.
