How to Celebrate Groundhog Day

In most parts of the country, gray, dismal February needs all the festivity a person can give it. Why else would people build a holiday around a rodent emerging from his hole? On February 2, 2007, a groundhog named Phil will make his 121st appearance in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, to the acclaim of TV news teams, local onlookers and revelers from around the world.

Difficulty:

Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Stuffed Animals
• Movie Videos
• Portable CD Players
• Prizes
• Airline Tickets To Pennsylvania

1. Visit Punxsutawney and get in on the festivities. The town plans a weekend full of them every year, ranging from pancake breakfasts and charity flea markets to square dances and parades.

2. Attend a Groundhog Day festival closer to home; more and more towns are staging them each year.

3. Hold your own Groundhog Day party. You don't even need a groundhog: any critter (or human) will do for the starring role. Simply have your star emerge from a hiding place, glance at the ground and scurry back. If there's enough sunlight to cast a shadow, you'll have six more weeks of winter; if the day is overcast, spring is heading your way fast.

4. Play Hot Hog, in which the players stand in a circle while music plays. The players pass around a stuffed toy groundhog. When the music stops, the player left holding the groundhog is out.

5. Try Toss the Hog, in which players try to throw the stuffed groundhog into a basket. Award prizes for various categories, such as the greatest number of successful throws, the longest throws or the best behind-the-back toss.

6. Fix yourself a warming drink, snuggle in away from the February chill and watch the movie "Groundhog Day" starring Bill Murray.

Tips & Warnings

• Groundhog Day is actually a modern adaptation of a much older February 2nd holiday called Candlemas, which in turn grew out of the ancient celebration of Imbolc. For a slightly different slant on the day's festivities, see "How to Celebrate Candlemas," under Related eHows.