Punxsutawney Phil Predicts 6 More Weeks of Winter: Let’s Make the Most of it!
Today is Groundhog Day, and Punxsutawney Phil has made his prediction: 6 more weeks of winter. This means it’s time to break out the hot cocoa, fuzzy blankets, and maybe even some cheesy Groundhog Day jokes.
Groundhog Day has a rich history dating all the way back to the early days of German settlers in Pennsylvania. The tradition of using a groundhog to predict the weather on February 2nd originated from the belief that if a hibernating animal saw its shadow on a sunny day, winter would last for another six weeks. In Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, Phil has been the official groundhog since 1886, and thousands of people gather each year to hear his prediction.
But the best part of Groundhog Day is the jokes. Here are a few to get you started:
- Why did the groundhog cross the road? To get to the other side and check if there’s any shadow.
- What do you call a groundhog with a six-pack? A weatherman!
- Why did the groundhog turn down the role of weatherman? Because he didn’t want to be in the shadow of others.
- What do you call a groundhog who’s good at predicting the weather? A weather hog!
- Why did Phil the groundhog want to be an astronaut? So he could explore the shadow of the earth!
Although in Houston, six more weeks of winter usually means weather that’s just a bit cooler than normal, the past few years have shown us that we can get hit with hard winter temps too. I for one am not thrilled to learn that we’ll have six more weeks of winter.
I guess I’ll keep stocking Chocolate Abueliate and keep my San Marcos comforter on the bed. That’s really the only way to survive my winter days.
Sandra Fernandez is a professional communicator, tech enthusiast, book lover, and blogger. You can find her main blog at SandraSays.com and more of her writing at HispanicHouston.com.