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Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend January 21, 2006 Since You Asked Phil’s word on winter originated in Europe How did the whole Groundhog Day thing get started? Is it just a publicity stunt for that Pennsylvania town, whatever it is? — Harold P., Medford Punxsutawney, Penn., has been doing the winter weather prediction thing since 1800, and the first "official" trek to Gobbler’s Knob was on Feb. 2, 1887, according to www.groundhog.org , one of the official Web sites of Punxsutawney Phil (the groundhog) and The Inner Circle (the humans who interpret his weather forecasting). Groundhog Day is descended from Candlemas Day, which has an explanation too long to put here except that it was a centuries-old Catholic day in Europe when priests blessed candles, and it was seen as a milestone in winter. All sorts of predictions in popular literature and lore going way back made claims about winter’s length from this date, Feb. 2. Winter was a terrifying time for farmers and just about anyone else before modern times, so anything that helped humans get through the winter or understand it and predict it was wildly popular. There’s just one problem in our explanation so far. Europe doesn’t have groundhogs, or woodchucks. So things started with hedgehogs, the legend goes, that would presumably emerge from their winter slumber on Feb. 2. And if they cast a shadow, it meant six more weeks of winter. No shadow, an early spring. Advertisement Americans adopted the groundhog because they were plentiful in Pennsylvania, where the Pennsylvania Dutch (Germans) settled and brought the legend with them. And there were no hedgehogs. After Bill Murray’s popular "Groundhog Day" movie in 1993, it’s been rock-star status for Punxsutawney Phil. Here’s another interesting tidbit we found on groundhog.org: Punxsutawney Phil threatened to impose 60 weeks of winter on the community if he wasn’t allowed a drink during Prohibition. Getting in on the act and returning the holiday to its European roots this year, the Oregon Zoo on Feb. 2 will hold a "hedgehog day" to see if the Northwest will have an extended winter. Our prediction? Rain, clear through next winter. Send questions by fax to 541-776-4376; or by e-mail to Since You Asked ">[email protected] . Mail Tribune Home | Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life | Opinion AP News | Archives | Site Map | Community | Classified Copyright © 1997-2006 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Website Feedback www.bingo.com Home Security Systems Trunks, Footlocker Custom Build Computers Computer Security Discount Hotel Reservations Casinos Canada dvd-r Generic Viagra Myspace Windermere Van Vleet Deep Muscle Stimulator Sports Equipment Online Casino Reviews Online Bingo Entertainment Guide Online Casino Fundraisers Student Loans Sudoku Online Advertisement s Advertisement