By Daniela Ginsburg
Boston University News Service
After seeing her shadow this month, Ms. G, the official groundhog of Massachusetts, predicted six more weeks of winter.
Every year on Feb. 2, a groundhog emerges from its burrow. Seeing its shadow signals six more weeks of winter; if unable to see its shadow, the notion signals an early spring.
The 140-year-old tradition, which is only 30% accurate, evolved from the 4th-century Christian holiday of Candlemas, which falls in early February and is midway between the winter solstice and the spring equinox.
The Christian holiday commemorates the presentation of baby Jesus at the Temple in Jerusalem and Mary’s purification 40 days after Christmas. The holiday is celebrated through a feast where candles are lit to represent the end of the Christmas season and enlightenment of the new year.
Christian folklore says that if the sun shone and overshadowed Candlemas, it signaled a longer winter. If the sun didn’t appear, the candle could remain lit, signaling the end of the winter solstice.
Candlemas traditions expanded to English, French, Canadian and German peasants, where hibernating animals helped determine the end or continuation of winter.
Originally, German tradition used badgers to help determine the shift of seasons. It wasn’t until 18th-century Germans brought the tradition when migrating to eastern Pennsylvania that the animal changed.
Many Germans settled in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, where the tradition grew in popularity. Since badgers were not native to the area, Germans shifted to groundhogs.
The tradition was officially recognized as Groundhog Day in 1887 by Clymer H. Freas, editor for the Punxsutawney Spirit Newspaper, claiming that the Punxsutawney groundhog could forecast the season in the newspaper.
The groundhog’s “Inner Circle,” in which the groundhog reveals the prediction to, consists of dressed men wearing fancy suits and top hats, was established, according to the Library of Congress.
Many states use their own groundhogs, with Boston having its very own Ms. G.
As the holiday spread, the type of animal used has shifted depending on where you live, with over 100 different animals used for the holiday.
In Nevada and California, Mojave Max, the desert tortoise, is used to determine the shift of seasons. If he emerges from his burrow, it determines that springtime has arrived. If he remains, so does winter.
In Central-Southeast Europe, the holiday is known as “Bear Day” or Stretenia: if a bear emerges from hibernation and sees its shadow, similarly, it determines the shift in season.
Some alternatives also include Bee Cave Bob the Armadillo in Texas, Stumptown Fil the Beaver in Oregon, Sand Mountain Sam the Opossum in Alabama, Clucksatawney Henrietta the Chicken in New York and Scramble the Duck in Connecticut.
Today, Groundhog Day is primarily celebrated in the U.S. and Canada, with Candlemas festivals celebrated globally.
Every year, over 20,000 people come to Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, to celebrate Groundhog Day. While the tradition has its inaccuracies, it commemorates a long history of culture while bringing communities together.