Happy Groundhog Day (originally Candlemas), additional facts, a DAD JOKE + today is a palindrome!

Good ole' Punxsutawney Phil came out today and predicted an early spring! While doing some light reading around the tradition, I have found some interesting facts about today:

• According to legend Phil has been making predictions since 1887 
• even though a groundhog's average lifespan is 6-8 years
• according to legen Phil drinks a magical "groundhog punch" each summer at the Groundhog picnic and gains an additional 7 years with each sip!

• Since 1990 - Phil has only been correct 24% of the time

• Groundhog Day has its roots in ancient Christmas tradition of Candlemas
• clergy bless and hand out candles needed for the rest of the winter
• the candles represented how long and cold the winter would be
• Germans expanded by selecting an animal the hedgehog, as a means to predict
• Once in the USA, German settlers in the state of Pennsylvania switched from hedgehogs to groundhogs (because there were a lot in Pennsylvania)

• Today is also a palindrome 02-02-2020 
• a word, phrase, or sequence that reads the same backward as forward
• the next palindrome date (with the mm-dd-yyyy) is December 2, 2021. (12-02-21)

DAD JOKE!! 👨🤣

Q: What is Punxsutawney Phil's favorite book? 

A: Holes

Take care,

Brad