In the Christian Calendar this is Candlemas Day, a recognition of the presentation of the infant Christ in the temple.This is also Groundhog Day in North America, with amusing ceremonies involving the rotund rodents and seeing shadows and predictions about the length of winter. It all may have begun with Punxsutawny Phil in North America but the roots of this curious celebration/prognostication are in Germanic and Celtic traditions involving hedgehogs. Here in NA it became groundhogs, including Phil, Wiarton Willie in Ontario, Shubenacadie Sam in Nova Scotia, etc. Candlemas and Hedgehog/Groundhog Day are connected in the distant past.
More importantly, today is our daughter Jocelyn's birthday, and she still has the Groundhog character I created for her when she was a child, cut out of wood and decorated as a fairy story critter to celebrate the day.
It's both quaint and important that we include these sometimes ancient traditions which acknowledge the seasons and the solstices within the rhythms and celebrations of our lives. It's too easy to ignore that we are creatures who live within Creation rather than dominate it, and when we lose this connection we imperil ourselves and all creatures.
I'm not holding my breath over the predictions of the legion of groundhogs who will be manhandled out of their lairs today, but I appreciate the gesture.
And happy birthday Joc!
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