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1032715 tn?1315984234

Groundhogs

Can someone explain groundhog day and why it seems to be exciting-For an Aussie that doesn't get it?
15 Responses
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219241 tn?1413537765
Yeah, I like that! The joey is the best idea! Bloody koalas pee and claw, echidnas are too spiny, wombats bite, and who can find a platypus!?  Yeah, little joey jumps back in mum's pouch; means a long hot summer! Hee hee!
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1032715 tn?1315984234
Who's going to hold the echidna up,it would be a bit prickly.maybe a koala would be better,or a wombat,platypus would be good if you can find one.I've got it, a kangaroo,take the joey out of the pouch and if it jumps straight back in It's going to be a long hot summer.
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219241 tn?1413537765
Watch the Bill Murray movie GroundHog Day. It is sooooo funny!. My American friends get all excited hoping that the winter will be over. I have a few American friends who look for a certain type of caterpillar, If they see the orange or black one, (I forget which is which now!) then they know it's a long winter or early spring
Being a fellow Aussie, I reckon it'd be funny if we held up an echidna or something to see if our rotten hot summers were to end early! Hee hee!
Cheers!
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973741 tn?1342342773
Yesturday was a lovely sunny day in the 40's, very spring like.  Today after the reported groundhog episode, it is bitter cold with flurries.  My son has informed me he feels that the ground hog is a GENIUS!  (as I mentioned, I believe the  special day in his honor has escalated the stature of said ground hog.)
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Avatar universal
all oklahomans go by groundhogs day, and all the ole farmers depend on it by the way swampcritter i love that polkaThe groundhog is supposed to come out of his winter place and if he sees his shadow 6 more weeks of winter, just ask Don woods the ole okla weather man he goese by nature and the animals actions for the weather it works  jo
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1032715 tn?1315984234
Thank you for all your informative replies,I think I now have at least a bit of insight into what it represents,Once again Thank You   Denise
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389974 tn?1331015242
The Pennsylvania Polka! The sound of it makes Swampy grab the accordion. Yes, Swampy really does, in real life, play one.
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1035252 tn?1427227833
I don't think I've ever watched the ceremony, and after seeing that God-awful movie "Groundhog day" the whole name evokes some terrible memories...let's just say that I had to watch the movie in Spanish in high school...and when you're still trying to grasp a foreign language, that is NOT the movie you want to be watching. oh the horror....and that song....

specialmom you make me laugh LOL
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973741 tn?1342342773
Personally I think the holiday has nudged the image of the old ground hog up a notch!  Gave him and his friends a lot of publicity that they did not have while always underground.  (smile)
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Avatar universal
Groundhog Day is a holiday celebrated on February 2. It is held in the United States and Canada. According to folklore, if a groundhog emerging from its burrow on this day fails to see its shadow, it will leave the burrow, signifying that winter will soon end. If on the other hand, the groundhog sees its shadow, the groundhog will supposedly retreat into its burrow, and winter will continue for six more weeks.[1] The holiday, which began as a Pennsylvania German custom in southeastern and central Pennsylvania in the 18th and 19th centuries, has its origins in ancient European weather lore, wherein a badger or sacred bear is the prognosticator as opposed to a groundhog.[2] The holiday also bears some similarities to the medieval Catholic holiday of Candlemas.[3] It also bears similarities to the Pagan festival of Imbolc, the seasonal turning point of the Celtic calendar, which is celebrated on February 1 and also involves weather prognostication.[4]

Modern customs of the holiday involve celebrations where early morning festivals are held to watch the groundhog emerging from its burrow. In southeastern Pennsylvania, Groundhog Lodges (Grundsow Lodges) celebrate the holiday with fersommlinge,[5] social events in which food is served, speeches are made, and one or more g'spiel (plays or skits) are performed for entertainment. The Pennsylvania German dialect is the only language spoken at the event, and those who speak English pay a penalty, usually in the form of a nickel, dime or quarter, per word spoken, put into a bowl in the center of the table.[6]

The largest Groundhog Day celebration is held in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, where crowds as high as 40,000[7] have gathered to celebrate the holiday since at least 1886.[8] Other celebrations of note in Pennsylvania take place in Quarryville in Lancaster County,[9] the Anthracite Region of Schuylkill County,[10] the Sinnamahoning Valley[11] and Bucks County.[12] Outside of Pennsylvania, notable celebrations occur in the Frederick and Hagerstown areas of Maryland,[13] the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia,[14] Woodstock, Illinois,[15], Lilburn, GA[16] and among the Amish populations of over twenty states and Wiarton,Ontario Canada.[14] The University of Dallas in Irving, Texas has taken Groundhog Day as its official university holiday and organizes a large-scale celebration every year in honor of the Groundhog.[17]

Groundhog Day received worldwide attention as a result of the 1993 film of the same name, Groundhog Day, which was set in Punxsutawney and featured Punxsutawney Phil.[18]
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784382 tn?1376931040
hahah specialmom!!!.... hahahaahahahaha bet your life on it!!!!!.... dont you love the knowledge lil ones have??... i love listening to the things that they have to say !

yes i agree peta looks for ANYTHING that has to do with animals.... just to start something.. i an also a animal lover and they animals is VERY well fed....he doesnt try and get away from them when they pick him up, and its ONCE A YEAR for about TEN mins!!!.... he is just fine!
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Avatar universal
I have watched them through the years, but never really paid attention as to the actual results. I have no idea where they came up with the idea. He is definitely not mistreated. He is always fat and healthy, though I am sure they have replaced him a few times. Probably lives better than a lot of people do. Peta should be glad instead of throwing fits.
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973741 tn?1342342773
I hear that it is 100 percent bet your life on it accurate.  Of course, it was my 6 year old that told me that . . .
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784382 tn?1376931040
yea they arent hurting him they are just holding him up to see if there is a shadow..... but is that REALLY how they tell if we are going to have a longer winter or not??... he cant ALWAYS be right can he??
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535822 tn?1443976780
Well as far as I know its to do with him seeing his shadow  if he does it means another 6 weeks of Winter ...I hope I go it that round the right way ..hes a cute little fella they hold him up he looks very chubby and sassy ...I know its a tradition and I like it , Peta ,the animal rights people think its cruel but he doesnt look badly treated to me ...LOL
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