Groundhog Day

For many of us, the past year has felt a bit like the movie Groundhog Day. Well, this coming Tuesday, February 2, is the real thing, and there are some interesting ways for you and your family to experience, and learn about the origins of, this unique celebration.

As with many other public events, the annual emergence of Punxsutawney Phil from his burrow will be live streamed this year! Beginning at 6:30 am (Punxsutawney time), you can watch the goings-on at Gobbler’s Knob.

The origins of Groundhog Day are also well worth a closer look, as it has its roots in the Candlemas celebration still observed by many Christians. The Bible tells us that 40 days after Jesus’s birth, Mary brought him to the temple in Jerusalem in observance of a purification ritual. Among the traditions that arose surrounding this day were the blessing of candles that would be used throughout the coming year and the belief that the weather on Candlemas foretold the weather for the rest of the winter. When the latter belief made its way to America, much of the religious context fell away, and what remained eventually became Groundhog Day! If you’d like to read more about this fascinating religious connection, check out this article from the UMC of Central Texas, or read about it on the Gobbler’s Knob website.

In the spirit of Groundhog Day AND Candlemas, your family can also take the opportunity to make your own prognostications (what a fun way of saying predictions!) about things that might happen. After all, if Phil can do it, why can’t we? Adults and kids alike can predict things like how long the winter will last, or what will be for dinner tonight (no guessing if you’re the one cooking it!), or what kinds of interesting things the year will bring. If you have smaller kiddos in your life, you can also get into the difference between a guess and a prediction, and have them hone their predictive powers in some creative ways:

* When you read together, let them predict what will happen next based on clues in the story

* Create a “prediction box” by placing different objects inside and having them shake it, listen, and guess what’s inside

* Place an array of objects with different textures in front of them, and have them predict how each one will feel based on how it looks

Share your predictions with us on our Facebook page, and here’s hoping the good things we foresee will come to pass!