Creative Child February 2020 | Page 33

You may want to begin the day with a lesson on how Groundhog Day came to be. I found the story at Education World (educationworld.com) which states (paraphrased): When the first settlers arrived in the area known today as Punxsutawney Pennsylvania, they brought with them a centuries-old tradition known as Candlemas Day. On Candlemas Day, clergy would bless candles and distribute them to the people. The weather of the day was considered an important indicator of the weather to come. German peoples picked up on the Candlemas custom and believed that if a hedgehog cast a shadow in the sunlight, another six weeks of winter was inevitable. When the Germans arrived in the Americas, no hedgehogs were to be found, so they used a groundhog as a stand-inl. So it is that the tradition was born. Today we call each February 2nd Groundhog Day, and if Punxsutawney Phil sees his shadow when he comes out of his borrow, we are in for six more weeks of winter, or so the story goes. Once the history of the holiday has been told, kick the day off with a delightful groundhog pancake. On a large, round pancake, add smaller round pancakes for cheeks, chocolate chips and marshmallows for eyes, a chocolate chip nose, marshmallow teeth, and banana ears! You can find an example at thejoysofboys.com. These are sure to bring a smile to your little one’s face! 32