BellaOnline Forums Education Astronomy Groundhog Day

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February second is Groundhog Day, a day that's a mystery to people outside North America. Even in the USA and Canada, it's more a bit of fun than a holiday. Yet however superficial it is now, it's the offshoot of traditions that began in Europe thousands of years ago.

Groundhog Day
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Here is another article from the Farmer's Almanac: https://www.almanac.com/groundhog-day

When does spring begin? March 20?

Yes, Angie, northern hemisphere astronomical spring begins on March 20 this year. (Sometimes it's March 21.) It's based on the spring equinox aka vernal equinox. But in the Celtic tradition spring begins at the start of February.

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In Scotland there was an ancient tradition of divination via a sacred serpent, which was the hibernating animal for divination. (Lacking any snakes, the Irish had to have a different animal.)

A Scots proverb says,

Thig an nathair as an toll
Là donn Brìde,
Ged robh trì troighean dhen t-sneachd
Air leac an làir.

Translation:
The serpent will come from the hole
On the brown Day of Bríde,
Though there should be three feet of snow
On the flat surface of the ground.
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Animal divination may once have been a serious part of the rites of spring, but what about the early warning of flowers?

Galanthus nivalis, the common snowdrop, also known as Candlemas bells, are lovely flowers and usually the first flowers we see emerging in January.

According to the Royal Botanical Gardens at Kew England:

Cool! (Cold?) LOL Nature is amazing.