What is Groundhog Day?

It’s become a metaphor for repetitive events, referring to the Hollywood film in which Bill Murray is forced to relive the same day over and over again.

But Groundhog Day is a centuries old tradition which has its roots back thousands of years.

The occasion is celebrated in America each year on February 2, the same date as the Christian date of Candlemas, which in turn has pagan roots dating back millennia. Seeing the shadow - or not Tradition has it that on this day, groundhogs come out of their holes after a long winter sleep to look for his shadow.

If he sees it, he regards it as an omen of six more weeks of bad weather and returns to his hole.

If the day is cloudy and, hence, shadowless, he takes it as a sign of spring and stays above ground until it’s time to go to earth again in the winter.

Where does this tradition come from?

In the Christian tradition, February 2 is Candlemas Day - the day Mary was said to have been purified after giving birth to Jesus. In pre-Christian times, it was the festival of light.

This ancient festival marked the mid point of winter, half way between the winter solstice (shortest day) and the spring equinox - so a turning point in terms of the seasons. There is a traditional poem, which goes:

If Candlemas be fair and bright,

Winter, have another flight;