Groundhog Day just happened. It was on Feb. 2  in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. This holiday is a cherished tradition every year. The groundhog gets out of hibernation. If it sees its shadow it means there will be 6 more weeks of winter. However, if it doesn’t see its shadow it is an early spring. 

This year the groundhog, Punxsutawney Phil, did not see his shadow. This means early spring! That is a relief to some people because of the cold temperatures lately. According to Boston News, the very first Groundhog Day was in 1887. However, that wasn’t the first time people have used superstitions to determine the upcoming season. 

The history of this holiday comes from Christian roots. On Feb. 2, a clergy, formal religious leaders, would bless and distribute candles needed for winter. The candles represented how long and cold the winter would be, said History.org.

People wonder how often the groundhog is right. According to The Tennessean, it is usually wrong. Phil has only been right 39% of the time. Most of the time Phil sees his shadow which means longer winter. 

Camryn Regier, a student at MHS, says that she doesn’t really believe that a groundhog can predict upcoming weather. Regier says, “It’s literally a lump of fur, he can’t do a darn thing.”

Regier doesn’t know why we have a groundhog foretell our next season. She wishes high school students would celebrate it more, just like in elementary school.

Some of her fondest memories were “watching the groundhog live, reading books about groundhogs, and making predictions on if it would see its shadow or not.” 

No matter if you accept the groundhog is right or wrong it’s truly a fun day to see if Phil is right about his predictions.