Groundhog's Day - Origin?

[Jinx]

I’d wager Uncle Cecil had to have been asked this at least once, but the search engine doesn’t find it, so…

What is the origin of Groundhog’s Day, and why do they torture that poor animal just to make us believe “he saw his shadow”? (And, why isn’t this a national holiday yet? ;))

[Bricker]

I have a desk calendar that makes the following claim, in summary:

The Germans used to do it with badgers. When German immigrants arrived, they found badgers in short supply, but no dearth of groundhogs. Being an adaptable folk, they switched.

Why the shadow business in the first place, I have no idea, and leave to others better equipped with more sophisticated desk calendars.

• Rick

[Jinx]

Originally posted by Bricker:
The Germans used to do it with badgers.

Is that why we call them “badgers”? (ha-ha!)

[Lord_Jim]

Here’s the link to Cecil’s article on Ground Hog’s Day http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a940401a.html

And here’s a little bit from yesterday’s AP news article about it’s history.

The Groundhog Day tradition is rooted in a German superstition that if an animal casts a shadow on Feb. 2 - the Christian holiday of Candlemas - bad weather is coming.

In the 111 years since German farmers began the festival in Punxsutawney, the morning of Feb. 2 has evolved into an elaborate show of hoodwinkery.

In years past, members of the Inner Circle, the club that stages the annual midwinter festival, voted the night before whether or not Phil would see his shadow, rain or shine.

Maybe that will help. I understand that Phil is treated like royalty, not mistreated at all. As long as Alsmith doesn’t get around him.

[DrFidelius]

Badgers? We don’t need no stinkin’ badgers…