Ground Hog Day (not the movie)

jocose · Feb 1, 2006

Is it just me or is the whole groundhog thing a sham? 6 weeks left of winter if he sees his shadow or 6 weeks until summer if he doesn't?????

I'll tell you what...the spindoctors for that nothing PA town did a FINE job if you ask me...and the movie (which I must admit I liked) didn't hurt the reputation of the town any. Years ago (before the movie) my sister and some friends wanted to go to see Phil make his prediction, but you need to make reservations something like a year out...what a waste.

Hey what do you foriegners (I mean non-Amirikins) do? Do you watch our Groundhog Day or do you have some other tradition or is this just another example of American Culture being blasted around the world?)

puzzle · Feb 2, 2006

um - I've not seen the film so I have only the vaguest idea what you're on about :mrgreen: I think we're aware that groundhog day exists, that much I'm certain. In fact, my colleague yesterday wished some random person on the phone Happy GH Day - which surprised me, because I didn't think it was the sort of day that you would 'Happy....'

We have St Swithin's Day sometime in July, and there's a rhyme for it - something about the weather on that day predicting the weather for the next 40 days, but I'm not sure which way round it is. So I guess that's similar. But no fuzzy animals.

treehuggerhikerboy · Feb 2, 2006

it's a silly tradition, just like a lot of traditions. no biggie.

Corry · Feb 2, 2006

So...DID the groundhog see his shadow? If he were in my town he didn't, which means NO MORE WINTER!!! (right?)

Unimaxium · Feb 2, 2006

Punxatawney (sp?) is a crappy little town lol

Jeff Canes · Feb 2, 2006

Unimaxium said:
Punxatawney (sp?) is a crappy little town lol

why is it a crappy little town?

ts_imagery · Feb 2, 2006

Well, I certainly hope no one actually takes Ground Hog day seriously as far as the weather prediction is concerned. It has been proven to be totally inaccurate. In fact, I don't even think they actually watch the ground hog to see if it spots it shadow or not, they just make it up.

But still, silly traditions can be fun, and it did make a pretty good movie. But to answer your other question, I don't think Ground Hog day is very well known outside of North America. Although up in Canada we do celebrate it, but we have our own Ground Hog -- Wiarton Willie. (Apparently all ground hogs names must be alliterations)