Groundhog Day Party
Well, it’s that time of year…again. Time to urge a little furry rodent from Punxsutawney, PA out of his burrow and hope that spring is right around the corner. If you live on the East Coast, you know that we could really use an early spring this year.
Those who know me, understand that some of the inspiration for MyPunchbowl.com came from my fascination with Groundhog Day. It’s a long story, and best told over a few beers: suffice to say that it involved a 12 hour car ride, an AP reporter, entrance into the “Inner Circle”, and a chicken factory. Yes, a chicken factory. The boneless skinless kind.
So it began in 1997. Fast forward to 2008, and my wife and I are planning our 12th annual Groundhog Day party. That’s right, 12th. This year will be particularly fun, as all of the Punchbowlers and friends will be gathering for an evening of raucous debauchery.
I sent out my Groundhog Save the Date a few weeks ago, the full online invitation to follow very soon. If you didn’t get an invite….well, I probably didn’t want you to see me drunk on tequila. Sorry about that.
If you’re looking for an excuse to get people together, I’d highly recommend Groundhog Day. This year it falls on a Saturday– even better. Why should you celebrate Groundhog Day? Well, can you think of a better way to worship a furry rodent who has been accurately predicting the weather for over 100 years? I didn’t think so. Oh, and I’d recommend using MyPunchbowl.com — they have some great Groundhog Party themes 
If you’re having a Groundhog Day party, please make a comment on this blog post– I’d love to hear from you.
Phil! Phil! Phil! Isn’t he cute?
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Party Planning and Online Invitations with MyPunchbowl
January 26th, 2008 at 12:42 am
Don’t forget to add sausage* to the menu for this most auspicious occasion.
“Sausage?” you say.
Well, yes, it is ground… hog.
And may it be your tradition as it is mine.
*soysauge is an acceptable alternative.
February 14th, 2009 at 3:15 pm
Congratulations on your 12th. Before we were married, (It’ll be 25 years in April) my wife and I were at a resturant on Valentines day with 2 other couples. the experience was horrible, bad service, etc. as most of the staff took off for their own V-Day celebration. A year later, we found ourselves in the same restaurant, and the experience was great. we noted that the date happened to be February 2.
From then on, we gave up on Valentines Day, and celebrated G-hog day. Back then, we decieded to celebrate G-hog by going out for dinner on Feb 2 to a restaurant we had never been to before (easy in Chicago), it should be something unique or ethnic, we order something we never ate before; and preferrably something we couldn’t pronouonce. A tridation we still enjoy, now with our teenage children. this year it was Vietnamese- I ate “Pho” for the first time.
In 1991 we bought our first house, and created a G-Hog party for our friends to join with us in the fun. Our parties featured unusual foods (allegator, rattle snake, etc.) all identified- no pressure to eat something wierd, but the spirit is to be adventurous.
In ‘99 we thought it would be fun to have a pig roasting on the driveway. We hired a guy with a trailer to cook a pig on the spit on our driveway– remember this is Febuary in Chicago- think cold; real cold. As guests arrived, the cook would open the cover and show off the pig.
We moveed into a bigger house in 2000, and the “Luau” was such a success, we decided to use our G-Hog party as a parody of other traditional parties. This year we had a Quinceneria with lots of Mexican food, beer, Margaritas, etc. We have had a G-Hog eve party, with ballon drop & champagne, Prom with rented bad 70’s tuxedos, Mardi Gras, I even had a beach party- 6 yards of sand in my heated garage… I had the guy pick it up the next day, yes I rented sand.
Anyway- you get the idea. Did I mention the Ground Hog? We bouht a “target” Ground Hog, designed to be shot at with bow an d arrow. He started sitting on the front steps with a light (shadow reference) but lately we dress him in “theme” clothes. We had a favorite dead celebrity party once, the statue was Elvis.
G-Hog is geat. There is no one way to enjoy it, party on.