Punxsutawney Phil...and Jimmy
Groundhog Day is an odd holiday. Americans set aside their trust in cold, hard weather science and look instead to a bite-prone, underground-dwelling little rodent for their winter prognostication. Still, it's a fun way to put aside our winter blues and start to look forward to spring. So why did we ever start celebrating this?
According to the National Climactic Data Center, Groundhog Day is rooted in an ancient tradition of celebrating winter's midpoint. It was believed that if, at that point, the days was clear and sunny, winter would continue to be cold and brutal, but if it's cloudy and overcast, the rest of the season will be much more mild.
We're all familiar with Punxsutawney, PA's famous celebration of the day, which began in 1887, but did you know Wisconsin has its own predicting Groundhog? His name is Jimmy the Groundhog and he resides in Sun Prairie!
If you want to learn more about groundhogs and Groundhog Day, be sure to pop in to your local MPL! You can also pick up this timeless classic to watch.