Groundhog Day In Canada
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Inspired by mid-winter celebrations held during the medieval age of Europe, Groundhog Day is a holiday that takes place every February 2 in Canada. It is a day that marks anticipation, hope and preparation, as Canadians wait to see whether there will be the shadow of a groundhog on the snow.
Various Canadian regions have domesticated their own animal, whether real or not, that is responsible for leading the traditions of Groundhog Day, including a live lobster in Nova Scotia named Lucy. The most famous among these, however, is Wiarton Willie, of Wiarton, Ontario.
Since 1957, Wiarton Willie has been a living albino groundhog that has represented the holiday for many across the nation. In 2020, however, Wiarton Willie was replaced for the first time by a non-albino groundhog–a historical event for the holiday.
Like other Groundhog Day representatives, Wiarton Willie is awoken from hibernation and is placed in front of a group of waiting Canadians, eager for his prognostication of the weather. Tradition states that if the groundhog’s shadow can be seen on the snow, then there will be six more weeks of winter, but if there is no shadow seen then winter is nearly over and spring will soon be on its way.
Regardless of the results, the groundhog ceremony is often preceded and followed by a variety of festivities: radio contests, pancake breakfasts, patriotic speeches, animal conservation activities, community dances, parades, concerts, winter sports tournaments (e.g., hockey, curling, skijoring, etc.), fireworks, and more. Such is both a local and tourist attraction, which can additionally be watched and read about on news channels.
NEWS COVERAGE
CANADIAN MASCOTS
If you are located in Canada, take a look at the following list in order to learn about the groundhog nearest you (note: this list is not exhaustive; these are but a few of the most well-known groundhogs in Canada):
Van Isle Violet – Nanaimo, British Columbia
Okanagan Okie – Vernon, British Columbia
Manitoba Merv – Stonewall, Manitoba
Wiarton Willie – Wiarton, Ontario
Fred la Marmotte – Val-d’Espoir, Québec
Shubenacadie Sam – Shubenacadie, Nova Scotia
Lucy the Lobster – Barrington, Nova Scotia
AMERICAN MOVIE
Despite the many differences between Canada and its southern neighbour, the United States, Groundhog Day is a celebration that both countries observe. As it is such an iconic quirk of American culture, too, Hollywood decided to make a movie about it, and that movie remains to be a classic comedy even among Canadians, especially leading up to or on the Groundhog Day holiday.
Does your home country have any interesting, quirky holidays to the likes of Groundhog Day? Practice your English by telling me about one in the comments below.
RELATED ARTICLES
ATTRIBUTION
Wiarton Willie image credited to groundhog-day.com
Lucy the Atlantic Lobster image credited to groundhog-day.com
