Groundhog Day is observed on February 2nd, each year in the United States and Canada.
For a nice welcomed break during the winter, on this day the groundhog awakens from his nap and goes outside to see if he can see his shadow. It is believed by many that if the groundhog sees his shadow that there will then be six more weeks of winter. If this is so, he then heads back into his den and goes back to sleep. If he is not able to see his shadow, the groundhog remains outside and, supposedly, spring is just around the corner.
Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania has been chosen as the site for the annual Groundhog day event. Thousands of people come to the town of Punxsutawney on Groundhog Day for this day of celebration.
Although already a well known day, Groundhog Day received widespread attention as a result of the 1993 film Groundhog Day, which was set in Punxsutawney, PA.
Last year, Groundhog Day happens to be the date of my total knee replacement. I hope this doesn’t mean I have to do that over and over again.