Groundhog Day E-Cards

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Don't forget to send Bosses Day E-cards by 2/2/2009.

The History of Groundhog Day

The beginning of February is known as the time between the Winter Solstice and the Spring Solstice. It is a time when many people start wishing for the end of the cold weather and begin looking for signs of Spring. Since many animals hibernate for the winter, the day that they start to emerge is known as a sign that Spring is coming.

Groundhogs are one type of animal that hibernate during the winter, and since they are known to live in many parts of the United States, people from many states started to look for the emergence of groundhogs as a sign that Spring would soon arrive. However, tradition had it that if the groundhog saw its shadow, it would become scared and run back to its hole, and Spring would arrive late. And thus, Groundhog Day was born.

• Punxsutawney Phil is the nation's most famous groundhog after appearing in the popular movie Groundhog Day. He still predicts the weather today in Pennsylvania, and has seen his shadow 85% of the time.
• The second day of February was chosen as Groundhog Day because early Christians celebrated the ritual purification of Mary on February 2, called Candlemas Day. If the sun came out on Candlemas Day, winter would last another 6 weeks.