Guest Blog: Happy Hedgehog Day!

Guest Blog: Happy Hedgehog Day!

Hello, and happy Hedgehog Day, everyone!

What’s that? A parody of Groundhog Day? Oh! No, I’m not referring to the Needlemouse reveal today, I’m just calling Hedgehog Day what it is! You see, this isn’t just some Sonical propaganda going on! It really was originally called “Hedgehog Day!”

Let me share a little history with you…

Long before Groundhog Day had ever been declared a holiday, the Romans had celebrated a similar event thousands of years ago, every February 2nd, in hopes of predicting the weather. Or at least when winter was going to end! But instead of a groundhog, they observed a hedgehog. Really, it’s true! The hedgehog, coming out of hibernation, sees his shadow (only during a clear moon) the Romans were able to decide whether or not we’d be seeing Spring anytime soon.

Now, we all know no small insectivore has a say over the weather, but it’s an interesting fact to know that over in the land shaped like a boot, they looked towards the not-so-well-known hedgehog for guidance.

But, why do we observe the much chunkier and less cool hedgehog? Well, when the holiday was brought to North America, it turns out that there are no abundance of these little sentient pin cushions. So we went with the closest thing, the groundhog!

So, on this glorious Hedgehog Day, think about how important the creature really was back then. And hey, we may be able to thank a certain blue one for making the hedgehog popular in the states, like it deserves. Maybe we can go for a name change, finally? And maybe Sonic’s rival should have been a groundhog. Here’s looking at you, Shadow.

More info at Hedgehog Central

Indigo Dude

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20 Comments

  1. That’s awesome. Just one more good thing about tomorrow. Hedgehog day by Sega, The original hedgehog day, and it also happens to be my birthday! 🙂

  2. @ IndigoRush101
    Added that link to the article for reference incase anyone else wants to see proof :p

    @TailsFox88
    Happy Birthday 😀

  3. Over here in the states, most shows when brought over change hedgehogs to porcupines… *coughBobTheBuildercough*

    speaking of Groundhogs, there was this one groundhog who lived in a hole right next to the building at my dad’s former workplace.

    Tomarrow, I think I’m gonna wear a retro Sonic shirt to school. =D

  4. @TailsFox88
    Happy Birth-hog/Hedge-day… oh hell with it. Happy Birthday AND Happy Hedgehog Day.

    Indeed Happy Hedgehog Day to all.

    @Ben (aka Rio)
    Is it Knuckles 16th today!? Happy Echidna Day!!

    This should be an official SEGA holiday. Every Sonic fan gets the day off work/school.

  5. Happy birthday Knuckles! And amazingly, I already knew about the roman hedgehog day… ’cause I’m strange like that.

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