February 2 - Groundhog Day

This is an automatic translation.
Click here to read the publication in the original language.

Groundhog Day is a traditional folk festival in Canada and the USA, celebrated annually on February 2. It is believed that on this day it is necessary to observe the groundhog crawling out of its hole, and by its behavior it is possible to judge the proximity of the onset of spring.

• If the day is cloudy, the groundhog does not see its shadow and calmly leaves the hole - it means that winter will end soon, and early spring is expected this year.
• If the day is sunny, the groundhog sees its shadow and hides back in the hole - it means there will be another six weeks of winter.

In some cities and settlements of the USA and Canada on this day, people observe the behavior of rodents and hold festivals dedicated to local meteorological marmots. As a rule, the event is celebrated on a large scale, fun and attracts many tourists.

The history of the holiday originates in very ancient times, when on February 2, according to the Gregorian calendar, Christians of Europe began to celebrate the Meeting of the Lord. Even then, the weather on that day was considered responsible for the nature of the approaching beginning of the long-awaited spring. And in North America, the old Scottish proverb “If Candlemas Day is bright and clear, there'll be two winters in the year”, which can be translated as “If on the day of the Meeting is clear and cloudless, is to be two winters a year is still popular.

Well, well, today we observe the behavior of the groundhog or the weather, and try to predict the time of arrival of spring.

This is an automatic translation.
Click here to read the publication in the original language.