Groundhog Day 2019 in Canada

Is Groundhog Day a Public Holiday?

Groundhog Day is not a public holiday, merely an observance in Canada, according to Holidays 2019. The celebration falls on 2 February every year. Businesses, stores, and shops operate as they normally would throughout the day, as do schools and universities. Public Transportations also follow their customary route.

Groundhog Day History in Canada

The celebration of Groundhog Day in Canada derives from a certain Dutch superstition of the German settlers of Pennsylvania. According to the saying, “Wann der Dachas sei Schadde seht im Lichtmess Marye, dann geht er widder in’s Loch un beleibt noch sechs Woche drin. Wann Ilchtmess Marye awwer drieb is, dann bleibt der dachs haus un’s watt noch enanner Friehyaahr. [sic]"

If a groundhog emerges from its burrow in mid-winter sees its shadow, then it will retreat underground and another six weeks of winter will follow. However, if the day is overcast (i.e., groundhog doesn’t see its shadow) on this day, then this is a prediction of spring arriving early. History and weather lore has a wide repertoire of such doctrines, usually dependent on a bear, fox, hedgehog, or a groundhog.

Another tradition in Germany is associated with Candlemas and a badger (formerly a bear, or in some regions, fox). As per the Dutch saying, “Sonnt sich der Dachs in der Lichtmeß Woche, so geht er auf vier Wochen wieder Zu Loche.” This means that if the badger is sunbathing during the light measurement week (Candlemas-week), it goes back to Loche (its hole) for four weeks. This indicates that if the sun shines on the week of Candlemas, and a badger is seen enjoying that, then there will be four more weeks of winter.

Origin of Groundhog Day in Wiarton

There is a story prevalent concerning the origin of Groundhog Day in Wiarton, a community in Bruce County, Ontario. According to this, a guy named Mac McKenzie wanted to showcase his childhood home to his friends, and so, sent out invitations in the name of celebrating ’Groundhog Day’. By chance, one of these invites reached a Toronto Star reporter, who travelled all the way to Wiarton, in search of this fest.

However, when he got there, the townspeople knew of no such celebration but guided him to the local watering hole, the Arlington Hotel. There, of course, the reporter found McKenzie and his friends and was also invited to join them. But now, the reporter was worried, for he had to justify his expenses through a compelling story. In the spur of the moment, McKenzie reached for his wife’s furry hat, which had a button at the front, and buried it in a burrow in the snow. He then made a prediction, now lost to the throes of time, but the picture of McKenzie and the ’groundhog’ became famous.

Next year, almost 50 people arrived to cover this event, and McKenzie took the opportunity to create a new holiday for the area. One of the significant differences in the Groundhog Day celebration of today and yesterday was the ’groundhog’. Initially, the predictions were made by a fictitious trio of groundhogs called Grundoon, Muldoon, and Sand Dune. These were replaced by the famous Wiarton Willie in the 1980s. The Wiarton Willie Festival of Ontario is quite popular and has even been named the World’s Greatest Event on two instances.

Public Life on Groundhog Day in Canada

Groundhog Day in Canada is celebrated through festivities and events held across the country. These revolve around a certain groundhog, as people wait with bated breath for them to come out and make their’ predictions’. Most provinces and territories groom these groundhogs and take care of them throughout the year. Then, on 2 February, every year, they are roused, and someone would note their behaviour and announce it to the gathered public. This is usually followed by merrymaking and celebrations – regardless of the outcome.

The most famous groundhog of Canada is Wiarton Willie of Ontario and Shubenacadie Sam in Halifax. The latter is always the first to emerge, on Groundhog Day in Canada. In addition to this, there are Fred la Marmotte in Quebec, Balzac Billy in Alberta, and Buckeye Chuck in Ohio. However, it is worth noting that in Quebec, the bear is more commonly looked at for the Groundhog Day predictions.

Groundhog Day Observances

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Tl;dr For those who only wish to know When is Groundhog Day in 2019? The date is 2 February, ಶನಿವಾರ.

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