Tag Archives: groundhog day

Candlemas and Groundhog Day: Folkloric Origins

Before there was Candlemas, there was Imbolc, a pagan ceremony celebrating the halfway point between the Winter Solstice and the Spring Equinox. Celtic beliefs held that during this time certain animals had special powers, such as forecasting the weather. Thus it was people took to watching to see whether snakes and badgers would emerge from their dens. If they did, and if they didn’t immediately return to their dens, it was believed spring would come soon. When Christianity became more popular, Imbolc transformed into Candlemas Day. Traditionally, Candlemas follows 40 days after Christmas, and is a celebration honoring the Virgin … Continue reading →

Happy Groundhog Day: Should We Expect an Early Spring?

The old German legend says that if the groundhog does not see his shadow, spring will arrive early. If he does see his shadow, the warning is that wintry weather will continue for at least another six weeks. Good news! Reports indicate that Punxsutawney Phil did not see his shadow today. Whew! Bring on the Spring weather. Legend has it that the groundhog will see his shadow as often as nine out of ten times. As for recent Groundhog Days, that seems to be a fairly accurate assessment, since the last time Phil did not see his shadow was in … Continue reading →

It’s….”Groundhog Day” (1993)

“Groundhog Day“, starring Bill Murray, is one of the those movies that no matter how many times you watch it, its still pretty funny. Of course, it feels like you’ve seen it a zillion times, even if you’ve watched it only three, because of the crux of the story. Phil Connors, a TV Weatherman, is a real jerk. He’s stuck with the job of reporting on the Punxsatawny Phil groundhog for the fourth year in a row and he’s not too happy about it. He does a terrible job and makes the lives of his co-workers Rita and Larry miserable. … Continue reading →

Tu B’Shevat is (almost) Here

I love Tu B’Shevat, because it always brings warmth and sweetness to the winter, and is a much tastier reminder than Groundhog’s day that winter is nearly over. Tu B’Shevat is called the Rosh Hashana for trees, and many celebrate this holiday by eating a lot of different kinds of fruit particularly fruit associated with Eretz Yisroel. We make special blessings on 7 kinds of food that characterize the Land of Israel, including figs, pomegranates, dates, barley, grapes, wheat and olives. Although not all of these foods grow on trees and not all of them are fruits, it is a … Continue reading →