Groundhog smoundhog

In the mundane scheme of things, today is Monday, a workday and also trash day for me. But there is a lot more to celebrate on this Feb. 2 besides bright sunshine.

Call it groundhog day, Imbolc, Candlemas, St. Brigid’s Day or whatever, this is one of those days in the calendar when celebrations from olden times come down to us like cultural echoes that we can hear but not quite understand. They have the power, if we care to pay attention, to open for us a much longer sense of time and tradition.

According to the Celts, the end of winter and the start of the awakening of the world is marked by Imbolc, or 'the lactation of the ewes' in Celtic. The birth of the first lamb means that there is once again fresh milk available, and is the proof of new life returning.

Imbolc is traditionally a time of weather prognostication, and the old tradition of watching to see if serpents or badgers came from their winter dens is perhaps a precursor to the North American Groundhog Day.

Today is also Candlemas in the Christian calendar. Traditionally the term "Candlemas" (or Candle Mass) referred to the practice of blessing beeswax candles for use throughout the year, some of which were distributed to the faithful for use in the home.

Since the liturgical reforms of the Second Vatican Council, this feast has been referred to as the Feast of Presentation of the Lord, with references to candles and the purification of Mary de-emphasised.

In the British Isles, the day is dedicated to the goddess Brigid; it was adopted as St Brigid's Day in the Christian period. In Scotland the festival is known as Là Fhèill Brìghde, in Ireland as Lá Fhéile Bríde, and in Wales as Gŵyl Fair. Fire and purification are an important aspect of this festival. The lighting of candles and fires represents the return of warmth and the increasing power of the Sun over the coming months.

Whatever its ancient origins, our Groundhog day apparently began as a German custom in southeastern and central Pennsylvania in the 18th and 19th centuries.

There is no more evidence to support the accuracy of the groundhog’s forecast than there is of the efficacy of holy candles getting one into heaven. On the other hand, it’s pretty sure that somewhere in the world a lamb was born today, signifying the return of life to our cold, cold world. For that, and all the other shards of history, we can celebrate. It sure beats trash day.