On February 2, 1887, Groundhog Day, featuring a rodent meteorologist,was celebrated for the first time at Gobbler’s
Knob in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. According to tradition,
if a groundhog comes out of its hole on this day and sees its
shadow, it gets scared and runs back into its burrow, predicting
six more weeks of winter weather; no shadow means an early
spring.

Groundhog Day has its roots in the ancient Christian tradition
of Candlemas, when clergy would bless and distribute candles
needed for winter.

(FOX NEWS)

(FOX NEWS) – "A Charlie Brown Christmas," a beloved holiday
television tradition for generations of American families, debuted
to overwhelming popular acclaim despite network fears of failure
on this day in history, Dec. 9, 1965.

Expectations were low for its success, according to several
accounts of the history of the broadcast.

CBS executives were underwhelmed by the slow pace of the
production; and the network had battled behind the scenes
with "Peanuts" creator Charles M. Schulz over the inclusion
of a scene lifted straight from the New Testament of the Bible.

Charles Monroe "Sparky" Schulz 
(November 26, 1922 – February 12, 2000)

(FOX NEWS)