Groundhog Day is the North American equivalent of Imbolc. It too celebrates the promise of Spring, not Spring itself. While not overtly pagan, it does centre on a magic animal who has the power to predict the future. And what a totemic animal for Canadians in particular! A large hibernating rodent who sticks his nose out of his cozy burrow in the middle of winter for the sole purpose of making a weather forecast! You can't get more Canadian than that. So, our lovely albino Wiarton Willie, do your best! Whether you see your shadow or not, we know damn well that winter is nowhere near over. But we love to play along anyway, because everyone wants to believe in the promise of Spring, eh?
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