How Groundhog Day is celebrated. Groundhog Day or an endless holiday. Why is Groundhog Day so famous?

In 2005

On February 2, Christians celebrate the Presentation of the Lord (Tombs) according to the Gregorian calendar. There is a popular Scottish proverb in the USA: If Candlemas Day is bright and clear, there'll be two winters in the year(The Day of the Meeting is bright and clear - to be two winters a year).

There is a saying among the German settlers in Pennsylvania: Wann die Grundsau ihre Schatte seht, noch sechs Wochen Winter ist was es meent (If the groundhog sees his shadow, it means that there will be another six weeks of winter).

Phenology

Wiarton Willy

The most famous Canadian groundhog meteorologist from the village of Wiarton ( Wiarton listen)) in the province of Ontario, in whose honor an annual festival is held.

Chuck at the Staten Island Zoo

Chuck is the official New York City weather groundhog. He lives in a zoo on Staten Island. Every year on February 2 at 7:30 he gives his forecast. The mayor of the city is present at this ceremony.

groundhog day in movies

"Bambi 2" (2006) (episode)
Hamster Day (Russian parody)

Notes

Bibliography

Reichman, F. 1942. Groundhog day. American German Review. 8(3):11-13

- (Groundhog Day) USA, 1993, 103 min. Comedy, melodrama. The release of this comedy in the United States did not coincide with Groundhog Day, February 2, when an annual holiday is held in Pennsylvania in honor of the woodchuck, supposedly predicting the end of winter. Ribbon… … Cinema Encyclopedia

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Today we celebrate Groundhog Day in the USA. This holiday has long been known in Russia. I found a completely crazy article here that offers several options for celebrating this day.

But first, about what kind of day it is, and where it came from. Although, I think many people know and have already watched the film of the same name "Groundhog Day". But still, what kind of groundhog is this?

His story began like this: 120 years ago on this very day (February 2) in Punksutoni (Pennsylvania, USA), a marmot crawled out of its hole (with great mind), and the local residents saw in this event an alleged meteorological harbinger.

For the groundhog at this time theoretically should be in hibernation. And people invented that if the groundhog sees the light of day that day, gets scared of his shadow and hides back into the mink, then the winter will drag on for another six weeks. If the day is cloudy, cloudy, the rodent will not find a shadow and leave its shelter, and spring will be early.

Over the past 120 years, the predictions of the meteorologist groundhog were confirmed only in 39% of cases, but the cheerful ritual does not lose popularity to this day. Why February 2nd? Because it is the middle of astronomical winter. That is, the middle of the segment between the days of the autumn and spring equinoxes, from which (in six weeks) the real spring begins in any case.

Today, this holiday is no longer associated with meteorological research, but with the desire to jump out of everyday, everyday, boring life. Work, personal life, study, children - everything is enclosed in a continuous cyclical circle. How do you want to celebrate Groundhog Day in such a fun and original way with such a routine reality!

You can offer different options. If you celebrate Groundhog Day in a company, then you can cheer up the society after a light table, for example, with the help of the "Beast" contest. The players stand in a circle. The leader whispers to each his role: he is a "marmot" or an "eagle". Everyone hugs each other by the shoulders. When the host says loudly to everyone “eagle!”, Then the “eagles” tighten both legs. When the "marmot!", Then the legs are drawn in by the "groundhogs".

The fun will be even greater if a large company suddenly turns out to be a clear minority of certain "animals". You can give secret tasks to draw or depict various animals using pantomime, and then the whole company to guess who is who. Naturally, the winners chosen by voting will receive a prize. For example, a calendar with an animal.

You can just do something odd with your family - switch roles for the evening: the husband is inspired to conjure over the festive table, the wife plays some game at the computer, and the daughter is relaxing in front of the TV. You can also celebrate Groundhog Day in the office. It will turn out no more boring than at home, if on this day for some time (for 10 minutes) all of a sudden all the employees suddenly change jobs. The secretary will sit behind the wheel instead of the driver, the head of the department will prepare coffee and sandwiches for the boss, who, in turn, will sweep the snow in front of the porch, and so on. But do not delay so that unexpected consequences do not happen.

And, probably, the most interesting way to celebrate the holiday. Have you ever had to do this at the zoo? Brutal energy and full of emotions, endless fun is easy to organize here. Throw different treats to the groundhog, take pictures, ride a carousel, arrange contests.

For example, you can make a bet about when the long-awaited real spring will begin. Make good bets and stay in intriguing anticipation for the rest of the winter. The participant who most correctly indicated the weather on the first day of March - temperature, wind strength, atmospheric pressure - will take all the winnings. Well, of course, gifts on this day should be given special.

The most appropriate, perhaps, will be on Groundhog Day something that reminds of the cyclical nature of everything earthly. For example, a movie with the appropriate title, a clock, a calendar, a barometer. You can give either something winter-warm for the cozy rest of winter (plaid, sweater), or spring-symbolic (a flower, a cheerful scarf), personifying the rebirth of nature.

I hope that in your life there is one more reason to call friends, cheer up, have fun and find out the news. Don't forget Groundhog Day!

From myself, I’ll also note that we have a lot of marmots in Chicago in the forests. So fat, furry, sniffs and rushes somewhere. Approximately in this form. Some of them are tamed and kept at home, like cats.

Groundhog Day - what does it mean? Probably everyone has heard this expression. Today it is considered that Groundhog Day is a daily routine, and it is repeated from day to day. It seems that life has stopped, and you are marking time. But in America, Groundhog Day is considered a holiday, why? Let's figure it out.

Holiday

What does it mean - Groundhog Day? Many people do not know that such a holiday exists. February 2 is celebrated annually in Canada and the United States. What are people celebrating? The arrival of spring. There is no similar holiday in our country. We celebrate the end of winter with Maslenitsa, and on February 2, Americans, one might say, are guessing at the weather. Indeed, even in America, in the second month of winter, it is too early to talk about the arrival of spring.

How is the holiday celebrated? People gather at the groundhog's mink and wake him up. And so, according to the behavior of the animal, the crowd determines whether there will be an early spring this year or whether the winter will drag on. If the animal crawls out of the mink and runs cheerfully at the feet of those gathered, then the cold will soon leave. Well, if the groundhog sticks out its muzzle and immediately puts it back into the mink, then the winter will be even longer.

For the first time such Groundhog Day was celebrated in the city of Punxsutawney. It was here that the locals deprived the innocent Groundhog Phil of sleep. It happened in 1887. Since then, the holiday has been celebrated annually.

Why is Groundhog Day so famous?

In 1993, the comedy of the same name appeared on the screen. And people no longer had questions about what it was - Groundhog Day. The protagonist of the comedy Phil Connors is a journalist. He tries to reach the heights in his career, but instead he is forced to do small and rather boring reports. On February 2, Phil travels to the small town of Punxsutawney to film a story about Groundhog Day. It seems to the character that there is nothing worse than making stories about such stupid and worthless holidays. But his life changes when he gets stuck in a time loop. And yes, fate is sometimes cruel. She put Phil's life on pause on Groundhog Day. The journalist is forced to wake up day after day and go to shoot a story about small rodents.

The viewer follows the life of the hero and how, having changed his attitude to many things, Phil Connors was still able to break out of the time loop.

"Groundhog Day": expression synonyms

In our country, this holiday became known only after the release of the film of the same name. What does Groundhog Day mean? These are recurring events, mostly routine.

But after all, even before the release of the movie on the screens, people somehow called the situations that were repeated? One synonym for Groundhog Day is the concept of déjà vu. This word is French and it means just a repetition, and literally translates as "already seen." When does deja vu occur? Usually in a situation in which a person found himself for the first time, but his intuition tells him that he has already experienced such a feeling. Perhaps the room turned out to be familiar, or the character of a new friend seems too similar to the character of another person.

What does the expression mean today?

Today, this concept rarely denotes a holiday. Now a routine day in which absolutely nothing happened is called "Groundhog Day". What this expression means is quite clear, based on the film of the same name.

Often people live month after month, but their life goes nowhere, and nothing changes. All of us have had that period. Perhaps a person was overtaken by depression, perhaps laziness took its toll. This period is sad and dangerous for both the physical and moral state of a person. Suffice it to recall how the main character of the film "Groundhog Day" tried to get out of the time loop by suicide. But it was a movie, and everyone understands that this is not a way to solve problems.

Where does the expression occur

Surprisingly, some people deliberately sign a contract to do monotonous work.

Where can I find the answer to the question of what Groundhog Day means? In the army. It is here that the soldiers, especially the conscripts, every day goes the same way. Of course, there are rare exceptions, but basically every new day is similar to the previous one. You get up through the tube, exercise, line up, study, outfits, free time, lights out. It is difficult to live in such a regime.

But some people sign a long-term contract. What are the benefits of such a life? They decide for you what time to get up, what to eat, what to do and the like. But still, life is incredibly boring.

What does the expression "Groundhog Day" mean, we understand that. And where can you meet him, besides the army? in most offices. All call center operators who have worked in one place for more than six months talk to customers as if on a machine. They already have a prepared solution to all problems, and occasionally they have to turn on the brain when they urgently need to find a way out of a situation that was not spelled out in the brief.

How not to fall into the "time loop"

What does it mean - Groundhog Day? Everyone has seen photos from the legendary film and understands that getting into the time loop is very simple. How can this be avoided? You need to stop leading a routine. Get out of your comfort zone at least once a week. It's not that hard.

Today, any person has the opportunity to attend various events, exhibitions, go to trainings. But people are afraid to do unusual things. Routine sucks a person. The daily script home - work - home for many is such a cute pattern of behavior. But you can not put off life for later. She's the only one with us. It is worth remembering this and starting to act today.

You should write a list of 100 things that you always wanted to do. What can be included in it? Ride a horse, camel, elephant, go diving or jump with a parachute. All those actions that excite the blood and provoke the release of adrenaline are quite suitable. Do not be afraid that you will break your legs or be unable to climb a large animal. Worth a try, because in retirement you will no longer be able to do many interesting things, and you will regret the lost opportunity.

To make it easier to start, it is worth motivating 2-3 friends for an active pastime. You should not spend your weekends in a bar, it is better to go out into nature or try non-standard types of entertainment, such as quests in reality.

How to break out of Groundhog Day

Caught in a time loop, it seems that there is simply no way out. Especially this feeling often visits young mothers. But kids grow up amazingly fast. Of course, you need to pay attention to your child, but do not forget that the child will soon grow up and leave you. And if during this period a woman does not have any hobbies, hobbies or favorite work, she will simply break down.

Many Americans today interpret the essence of Groundhog Day in a slightly different way. What does it mean? Today is not just a holiday of spring. People are trying to break out of the routine, and February 2 becomes a significant day. Looking at how the groundhog behaves this year, many people think about their fate. After all, everyone wants the new year to be better than the previous one. And for this you need to try.

How to break out of Groundhog Day? You should sign up for training, refresher courses, go in for art or sports. In general, any activity that will help a person get a little closer to his dream will do.

Popularity is growing

Self-organization and self-development trainings are in fashion today. Many may ask the question, what does the Groundhog Day holiday have to do with it? What does this mean, and what could be the connection here?

In fact, everything is simple. Every year on February 2, people stop and have the opportunity to look at the past year and the past one month of the new year. After all, rarely do any of us take intermediate respite or sum up.

But if you do this at least once a year, life will become more conscious. The person will see where he is going and what was good and bad last year. What events helped to achieve the goals, and what, on the contrary, moved away from them. That is why today the holiday is gaining more and more scope. The funny groundhog is a symbol that shows people that you need to live life to the fullest, and not dig in your routine.

Today, February 2, is Groundhog Day in the United States and Canada. It is a traditional annual holiday. It is believed that on this day people watch the animal that crawls out of its hole, and by its behavior it is possible to predict when the real spring will come.

If the day is overcast, the groundhog is not able to see his shadow and easily leaves his home. This means that winter will end soon, and spring will come very early. If the day is sunny, then the animal will go back to the hole, and this indicates cold weather.

In the cities of the United States and Canada, on February 2, various cultural events are held that are dedicated to this event. To participate in them, many tourists come to the country.

If we talk about the history of the holiday, then its roots go back to the distant past. On February 2, according to the Gregorian calendar, this day began to be celebrated by European Christians as the Meeting of the Lord. Already in those days, the weather was considered the main factor in determining the onset of spring. On the territory of the northern part of America, the old Scottish saying still remains relevant: "If the sky is clear, then there will be two winters in a year."

The tradition of Groundhog Day dates back to ancient Rome. On February 2, Hedgehog Day was celebrated there. Then the weather forecast was determined by the behavior of the animal, which saw or did not see its own shadow. The people living in Western Europe continued to observe the corresponding tradition; immigrants from among them brought the custom to the territory of the modern States. Since there were no hedgehogs, the main mission of determining the weather was shifted to the marmot.

To date, there are at least 7 known marmots-predictors in the world: Wyrton Willy, Balzac Billy, General Bearguard Lee, Chuck from the Staten Island Zoo, Punxsutawney Phil, Shubinakadsky Sam and Jimmy Groundhog The most important "specialist" is the groundhog living on Turkey Hill near Punksutoni (Pennsylvania, USA). In honor of him, a festival is held there every year, which became world famous after the release of the film of the same name with the name of the holiday. His star was an animal named Phil.

Abroad, the holiday was called "Groundhog Day". It is held as follows: In the morning, people gather on Turkey Mountain. Representatives of the Groundhog Club arrive there, dressed in ceremonial top hats and tuxedos. Groundhog Phil is usually provided with a stump, this is done for the convenience of a kind of interview. The head of the club drags the groundhog out of the mink, he also listens to the animal's predictions regarding weather conditions. After that, the received information is announced to all those present. Sometimes the so-called forecast is commented on by the media. After the official ritual, all people begin to have fun. Very often, on February 2, local catering establishments make a profit that they usually earn in a month.

In Punxsutawney, Groundhog Day visitors get various souvenirs and crafts with the image of an animal. They also have the opportunity to learn how to make ice sculptures, visit various shows and participate in a game called Scavenger Hunt. Also, guests of the event ride carts, dance and sing, learn how to cook real chili, watch performances by artists. When darkness falls, traditionally everyone watches the movie Groundhog Day.

During the celebration of a significant date, a boy and a girl are chosen from the crowd. They are crowned as Mister and Mrs Marmot. High school students are given the role of king and queen. It is noteworthy that those who wish to marry or take an oath of allegiance can easily do this in the church where the so-called Phil's wedding took place.

Groundhog Day would have remained in the United States if a comedy about this holiday had not been filmed in 1993. Then the director of the picture was Harold Ramis. The film became incredibly successful and the significant date was recognized all over the world, including in the territory of the Russian Federation. Since then, on January 2, the forecast of the American Groundhog has been waiting in all the fears of the world.

In 1986, a groundhog named Phil traveled to Washington for a reception with President Ronald Reagan. Recently, negotiations with a groundhog have been captured by many with the help of video, and then they post videos on the Web. Phil himself has a number of "own sites".

After some time, many countries brought their meteorological groundhog. The Russians are not far behind either: this holiday is celebrated by the residents of Yekaterinburg, despite the fact that marmots begin to wake up only in April. For example, in the Urals, at this time only a bear can get out of its lair, which has decided to prematurely come out of hibernation. By the way, in the Russian Federation, it was the clubfoot that was represented as the main predictor.

In Rus', there are a number of other examples about the weather. February 2 is Euphemia's Day. It is believed that if the sun shines in the sky at noon, then spring will be early, and if it snows, the precipitation will last at least a week.

Despite the fact that Groundhog Day has long been considered a national holiday, the representatives of the "greens" constantly talk about the cruelty to the animal. They believe that the groundhog's forced awakening and camera flashes put his body under great stress, which, of course, affects the health of the predictor. Groundhog was repeatedly offered to be replaced by a robot, but this, as we see, never happened, and Phil continues to gather crowds of people around him.

Angelica Kiseleva

groundhog day(Groundhog Day) is celebrated annually on February 2nd. It's a cute holiday and a wonderful tradition in the US and Canada. On this day, it is supposed to watch the groundhog crawling out of its hole. By his behavior, one can judge the proximity of the onset of spring. If the day is cloudy, the groundhog does not see his shadow and calmly leaves the hole, which means that winter will end soon and spring will be early. If the day is sunny, the groundhog sees his shadow and hides back into the hole - there will be another six weeks of winter.

At the annual ceremony, the most famous soothsayer marmot, having climbed out of the hole, saw his shadow and was frightened of it. And this, in accordance with the popular belief, means the late arrival of spring - winter, according to the marmot, this year 2014 will last at least another month and a half.

In several cities in the United States and Canada, festivals dedicated to local meteorological marmots are held on this day. The most famous marmots-meteorologists:
- Phil from Punksutoni - a groundhog living on Turkey Hill in the town of Punksutoni in Pennsylvania - the very first official groundhog meteorologist. The festival has been held since 1887. It was this town that became known in the world after the film "Groundhog Day".
- Willy of Wearton is the most famous Canadian groundhog meteorologist from the village of Wearton in Ontario, in whose honor an annual festival is held.
- Chuck is the official groundhog weatherman for New York. He lives in a zoo on Staten Island. Every year on February 2 at 7:30 he gives his forecast. The mayor of the city is present at this ceremony.

The tradition comes from antiquity. In ancient Rome, February 2 was the Day of the hedgehog. The meteorological forecast for that day was based on the behavior of an awakened hedgehog, which saw or did not see its shadow. The peoples of Western Europe kept this tradition in later periods. In northern Germany, the badger was awakening at this time. There he served as a spring-winter barometer. Early American references to Groundhog Day date back to the folklore of settlers from Germany known as the Pennsylvania Dutch, who brought their traditions to America in the 18th century. Under the new conditions, the "work" of the meteorologist passed to the groundhog. Thus, from the groundhog belief, a tradition was born that was developed by members of the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club.

Groundhog Day was first officially celebrated on February 2, 1886. Groundhog was solemnly given the name "Phil of Punxutone - Clairvoyant of Clairvoyants, Wise Man of Wise Men, Soothsayer of Soothsayers, and Eminent Weather Seer". And Phil's hometown, the city of Punksutoni itself, was called the "Weather Capital of the World". The legendary climb to Turkey Hill (Gobbler's Knob), where Phil was removed from the mink, has turned into an annual ceremony. Every year, in the early morning of February 2, a group of gentlemen dressed in top hats and tuxedos come to Turkey Hill. These are members of the Groundhog Club from Punksutoni.One of them is endowed with special powers: he is entrusted to perform the main ritual - to pull the groundhog Phil out of his house and listen to how Phil whispers his weather forecast for the next 6 weeks into his ear.Then this forecast is loudly announced to many people who specifically arrived in Punksutoni to witness this exciting event.

The Groundhog Day ceremony was canceled at Punksutoni only once, in 1942. Less than two months after the Japanese air strike on Pearl Harbor, such a show was considered inappropriate, especially since Germany was an ally of Japan.

However, as statistics show, marmots are stingy with optimistic forecasts. In the 125 years that there is a tradition in the United States to disturb the animal named Phil every year, he saw his own shadow in four out of five cases. And this seriously upsets many Americans, who quickly get tired of winter and miss the spring days. But then the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration hurries to calm the upset Americans. According to his analysis, in recent years, Phil "has shown no weather forecasting ability on most occasions."

After the 1993 film Groundhog Day, starring Bill Murray and Andie MacDowell, was released, Punksutoni's popularity skyrocketed, and over the years the holiday has gained momentum. At one time, Bill Murray came to the ceremony in Punksutoni to study the scene of his character. The film recreates the atmosphere of Groundhog Day to the smallest detail.

Groundhog Phil lives in Punksutoni as a real "star". The animal is well fed, as evidenced by its weight - more than 9 kilograms, although in the wild the weight of marmots should range from 6 to 8 kilograms. Punksutoni groundhog's menu includes greens, fruits, vegetables and water. But most of all he loves dog food. In Phil's hole, a certain temperature is constantly maintained, he is served by the best veterinarians. Phil even has a fan club with over 30,000 members. However, in recent years, animal rights activists believe that it is time for Phil the groundhog to retire to the reserve. They propose to replace the weather forecaster with a robot.

Official website of Punxsutawney, Penn., Groundhog Club. - www.groundhog.org. Here you can become a member of the Groundhog Club.

When using these materials in other information sources, a link to the website of the Hydrometeorological Center of Russiawebsiteobligatory.