Groundhog Day

Almost everyone knows that February second is Groundhog Day. It's the day when most everyone gets up early to watch the morning shows to see if Punxsutawney Phil sees his shadow or if we'll be lucky enough to have a short winter and an early spring.

By the way, he saw his shadow today so I guess we're going to be cold for a while longer yet -- if you believe the prognostications of a little fat rodent.

Very few know the ancient meaning of this day. In the Pagan world it has a variety of names but most commonly it's called Imbolc, prounounced im-bolk. It's a festival. You know, back in the anceint times they had little to do in the winter so a party or celebration was something taken very seriously. Especially if it marked the halfway point between winter and spring. They were halfway there! Winter was on the downward spiral and warm weather would come again soon.

Imbolc, the fire festival, marks the point halfway between the Winter Soltice and the Vernal Equinox with roughly six weeks between the two. This time is also known as Solmonath or Candlemass depending on tradition.

To the Romans, this holiday was known as Lupercalia. Ancient Egyptians called it the Feast of Nut after the mother to the sun god Ra. Her birthday was February second. Christians celebrated this as Candlemass, the purification of the virgin. Many religions celebrate something on this day. Was it because there was nothing else to do in the dead of winter? Was it to celebrate surviving the first six weeks of winter or was there some other more mystical reason most religions had a celebration on this day and in fact have many holidays that coincide?

I fear no one will ever know the correct answer but it's fun to learn about and fun to wonder. And the celebrations aren't too shabby either!

Until next time...