Every year, we gather around the television to watch a small, brown creature crawl out of its den. According to tradition, if this peculiar creature views its own shadow, two outcomes can occur. If the creature, known as the groundhog, views its shadow, six more long weeks of winter will occur. However, if the groundhog does not view its shadow, spring will come early and relieve the spirits of those who wish for warm weather. 

Groundhog day is a fairly old tradition, originating in the year 1887, and comes with a strange origin story. 

The holiday is based on the Christian tradition of Candlemas and German folklore flourishing together within Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania to create this century-long tradition. Candlemas is a European holiday, where families of all sizes bring their candles to church for a blessing, in hopes that spring will come early. Candlemas remained popular in Europe for a long time, but naturally, it started to evolve with time. Eventually, the groundhog began to be incorporated into the story as Germans started to adapt to the idea that an animal was capable of predicting the length of winter if it saw its tail. In German lore, the animal started out as any animal, but became a hedgehog. The hedgehog turned into a groundhog as people of German descent moved to North America. Arriving in Pennsylvania, word about the Groundhog began to spread within the state, leading many to believe that a groundhog was capable of predicting the weather. 

Groundhog Day is always on the second of February, but for a peculiar reason. A newspaper known as Punxsutawney Spirit collaborated with the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club after the lore began to gain some traction in the northern state. February second is the day of the first grand trip to Gobler’s Knox, a small burrow located in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, to visit the groundhog. Also on the second is the day of Candleman. Therefore, Groundhog day is celebrated on February second to commemorate the Candlemas tradition and the first visit to the groundhog. Punxsutawney has been the name of the groundhog every year since the very first trip in a remembrance to the historical day. 

Throughout the many decades, methods to viewing the groundhog have changed. For example, one method was that the members of the Punxsutawney Spirit Club would stand around the den, wait for the animal to crawl out, and then observe whether it saw its shadow.