Groundhog Day is an annual holiday on Feb. 2 that predicts whether there will be six more weeks of winter or if there will be an early spring. If Phil the groundhog sees his shadow, it means another six weeks of winter can be expected. If he does not see it, spring is expected to come early. Every year on Feb. 2, people go to the Groundhog Day ceremony in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. 

According to National Today, the Pennsylvania Dutch were German-speaking immigrants who settled in Pennsylvania and developed their own take on the legend of Candlemas in the 18th and 19th centuries, bringing with them the custom of the native groundhog as their annual weather announcer. The first-ever Groundhog Day was created by a local newspaper editor, Clymer Freas, around 1886, who convinced groundhog hunters,  local businessmen and all members of his Punxsutawney groundhog club of the idea for Groundhog Day. Together, they all made their way to Gobbler’s Knob where the groundhog would make the final decision on the weather.

This year, Phil saw his shadow, predicting six more weeks of winter. In 2021, Phil predicted six more weeks of winter as well. In 2020, he predicted an early spring. With the way the weather has been recently, many have expected this outcome. English teacher Ms. Lauren Gendron said, “It’s been so cold all of January and I just assume it’s going to be like that in February too, overall it’s just been a cold, long winter.” Midwesterners have been hit hard this winter with negative temperatures along with severe wind chill, making it even colder. English teacher Mr. Jeremy Wood said, “I think we were all expecting the groundhog to let us down a little bit and not give us an early spring. Groundhogs are untrustworthy creatures; you can’t always rely on them.”