In this episode Cody and Mark discuss Groundhog Day and it's origin. Learn about the beginning of the holiday and more; such as the mishaps of the animals that are involved in the holiday. Did you know a mayor dropped a groundhog and it later died due to the events that happen on the holiday? Learn about this and more in this episode! In the random news section of the show Mark and Cody share  stories that involve a Minnie Mouse beat down, brother robbing brother, overflowing gas in a boat and more!

 

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Info:

 

What is Groundhog day? When did it start?

 

On February 2, 1887, Groundhog Day, featuring a rodent meteorologist, is celebrated for the first time at Gobbler’s Knob in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. According to tradition, if a groundhog comes out of its hole on this day and sees its shadow, it gets scared and runs back into its burrow, predicting six more weeks of winter weather; no shadow means an early spring.

 

Groundhog Day has its roots in the ancient Christian tradition of Candlemas, when clergy would bless and distribute candles needed for winter. The candles represented how long and cold the winter would be. Germans expanded on this concept by selecting an animal–the hedgehog–as a means of predicting weather. Once they came to America, German settlers in Pennsylvania continued the tradition, although they switched from hedgehogs to groundhogs, which were plentiful in the Keystone State

Groundhogs go into hibernation in the late fall; during this time, their body temperatures drop significantly, their heartbeats slow from 80 to five beats per minute and they can lose 30 percent of their body fat. In February, male groundhogs emerge from their burrows to look for a mate (not to predict the weather) before going underground again. They come out of hibernation for good in March.

 

In 1887, a newspaper editor belonging to a group of groundhog hunters from Punxsutawney called the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club declared that Phil, the Punxsutawney groundhog, was America’s only true weather-forecasting groundhog. The line of groundhogs that have since been known as Phil might be America’s most famous groundhogs, but other towns across North America now have their own weather-predicting rodents, from Birmingham Bill to Staten Island Chuck to Shubenacadie Sam in Canada

 

Did you know?

 

Today, most people know about the legend of the groundhog: If he sees his shadow on this day, there will be six more weeks of wintry weather; if he doesn’t, then spring weather is right around the corner.

 

However, what most don’t realize is that Groundhog Day is actually rooted in astronomy. The date is tied to the movement of the Earth around the Sun; it marks the approximate halfway point between the winter solstice and the spring equinox! (Note: This is true for the Northern Hemisphere. In the Southern Hemisphere, Groundhog Day marks the halfway point between the summer solstice and the autumnal equinox.)

GroundHog Day Movie:

 

A cynical TV weatherman finds himself reliving the same day over and over again when he goes on location to the small town of Punxsutawney to film a report about their annual Groundhog Day. His predicament drives him to distraction, until he sees a way of turning the situation to his advantage.

 

Stars: Bill Murray and Andie MacDowell

 

Movie Trivia:

 

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/happy-groundhog-day-heres-5-769137

Funny Groundhog Day News:

 

https://bestlifeonline.com/hilarious-groundhog-day/

 

https://amp.usatoday.com/amp/460011002

News:

 

Table Dancing

 

Gas

 

Robbing Brother

 

Minnie Mouse

 

Crossing Guard