February 2nd - Happy Groundhog Day!

Today is Groundhog Day. It isn’t something a lot of people talk about – unless your town is the setting for the blockbuster film of the same name.

I’ve written before about how our little town, during the tree lighting, makes a visitor feel as though he surely has walked onto the set of a Hallmark movie. Groundhog Day, too, is one of those surreal holidays.

I walk into the local bookstore and am greeted with, “Happy Groundhog Days!” Coffee enthusiasts waiting in line at the local Starbucks smile and ask, “Are you going to the Chili cook-off?” And, the storyteller who just made your kids laugh with a talking banana walks up to you on the street, acknowledges that he saw you and your kids at his performance and says, “Thanks for coming out and supporting me – and, hey, have a great Groundhog Day!”

My friend who owns the local inde bookstore said that Groundhog Day is special because no one needs to buy a gift, rush around or worry about hosting anything. This is just a fun holiday where everyone is happy. Usually, the sun is shining – which, if you live in the Midwest – is kind of exciting after months (and months) of gray!

So, we get up before the sun, don our snow pants, hats, scarves, coats and mittens, bring breakfast in the car and head up to the center of town.

This year, Groundhog Day followed the snowpocolypse. There was a luster of shiny, new fallen snow glistening across the town square. The snow piles were mountains rising up in the middle of intersections next to historic brick buildings. The sun shone on neighbors and friends alike making their smiles that much brighter. Our groundhog saw his shadow – and whispered as much to the local dignitaries and professional groundhog handlers. This means, according to Mr. Groundhog, that we will be hunkering down for six more weeks of winter – or so the legend goes.

I think it mostly is the sense of community here that draws us in. It is comforting, and silly, and nostalgic – all at the same time.  It reminds us that in the midst of our sometimes-brutal winters, we have made it to the halfway point. We see friends we haven’t seen in a while and we laugh about the Groundhog Day Prognostication and just how many people come … Every. Single. Year.

Happy halfway-through-the-winter-point!