Washington Week: Student Voices (O)

Punxsutawney Phil's prophecy continues
By Katherine Brazauskas
The Daily Campus (U. Connecticut)
02/02/2007

(U-WIRE) STORRS, Conn. — By the time you read this story, the next six weeks will have already been determined meteorologically. No need to turn on the television, thumb to page two in The Daily Campus or look out the window, because it all comes down to one tiny town in Pennsylvania and one hearty 120-year-old groundhog, according to groundhog.org.

Punxsutawney Phil has been rudely awoken each year from the sweet slumber of his stump habitat since the 1800s, as onlookers wait patiently to catch a glimpse of this A-list animal. Phil has many friends, both in tiny Punxsutawney and all over the world, who wait anxiously for this day to arrive and take the proceedings that occur on Gobbler's Knob extremely seriously.

Sure, there are the mainstream holidays for which we decorate painstakingly for and on which we spend thousands of dollars, but I entreat you to look beyond these flashy, in-your-face days of celebrating and take notice of the holidays that are emerging from the shadows of society. Christmas — done. New Year's — so last year. Robert Burns Day — let's just say the Scotch bottle is empty. What we need now more then ever is a holiday that pulls us out from the shadows of dreary winter and sheds light on the hope and rejuvenation of springtime.

Punxsutawney Phil, not to be confused with Carl Spackler's arch-nemesis, the gopher in "Caddyshack," is a lovable icon of American culture. His name, bestowed upon him early in 1800s, is a tribute to King Philip and has withstood the test of time into the 21st century. The origin of Groundhog Day in America stems from Candlemas, a Christian holiday that falls on Feb. 2, the date which also represents the halfway point between winter and spring.

Phil may come off as a one-man act, but it takes many people in the community and beyond to roust this lovable furball. The Inner Circle is a group of men comprised of 16 members, clad in top hats and tuxedos that make sure the town of Punxsutawney, Pa., visitors and community members are all ready for the groundhog's mystical meteorological projection. The position as an Inner Circle member is a serious one that involves adhering to strict guidelines, the most rigid of which is to have fun and keep the spirit of Groundhog Day alive and well. They also look after Punxsutawney Phil, inject enthusiasm into the residents of their quaint town and uphold the rituals of the holiday begun on Feb. 2, 1887.

If hearing about the Inner Circle members makes you itch with jealousy for such a prestigious, inspiring role, you're not alone, but luckily the groundhog himself does not discriminate. Membership in the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club is available for a mere $10 a year and includes mailings and even a greeting from Phil himself. If that's not enough to get your Groundhog Day spirit pulsing, the opportunity to start an Official Punxsutawney Groundhog Day club in your region is also available, according to groundhog.org.

But one really doesn't need an official membership to partake in this enduring event. If Phil sees his shadow and pronounces six more weeks of sleet and snow, or if gray skies greet him and the commencement of spring is ushered in, there's a reason to celebrate. "That's right, woodchuck-chuckers it' Groundhog Day!" (Groundhog Day 1993).

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