Groundhog Day is the marking point between winter and spring and is rooted in European Agricultural life. The famous groundhog Phil Punxsutawney is also nowhere near the only groundhog to make predictions about an early spring or a late winter.
The date February 2nd not only marks the famous Groundhog Day, but it also marks the time period of the Celtic calendar and the Christian holiday of Candlemas. Celtic people across Europe mark a 4-day period that is in the middle of the spring equinox, the summer solstice, the winter solstice, and the fall equinox.
Ancient people would watch the stars, animals, and sun to guide them in farming practices and other tough decisions. A University of Pennsylvania professor named Don Yonder concluded the festival as “Ancient, prehistoric, and lots of weather lore.”
