Throughout history, the changing of the seasons has been revered as an incredible event. While neither the solstices nor the equinoxes are hailed as much of a cultural phenomenon today, it is undeniable that many of our contemporary holidays were once centered around the changing of the seasons. For example, Christmas, a holiday that is widely celebrated around the world, stemmed from the combination of old Christian traditions as well as an archaic Pagan holiday called Yule, which was a 12-day festival that marked the beginning of winter.

Simply put, there is a reason that so many of the holidays that we celebrate today lie around a seasonal change. The changing of the seasons marks a moment of rebirth and transformation both physically and spiritually. Whether it is leaves changing color during the fall or the blooming of cherry blossoms during the spring, you can see why humans centered their holidays around something as beautiful as the changing of the seasons. This leaves us with one question: What is the deal with Groundhog’s Day?

Groundhog’s Day is like any other “seasonal change” holiday except for one small difference. Instead of relying on an astronomical clock or a physical change in nature to determine the turning point of a season, the holiday hinges upon whether or not a groundhog—also known as a woodchuck—sees its shadow, a totally nonsensical practice at first glance.

The origin of Groundhog Day began in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania and for the past 130 years, Punxsutawney has consistently celebrated Groundhog Day. As tradition goes, a groundhog will end its three-month-long hibernation on February 2 to establish if either spring will begin early or if there will be six more months of winter. To do this, the groundhog must come out of its burrow and check if it can see its shadow. If it can’t see its shadow, then it is a signal of mild weather, leading to an early spring. However, if it can see its shadow, then it will go back into hibernation since there will be another six weeks of winter.

Now, as you may expect, it’s been proven that the validity of a groundhog’s predictions are somewhat lacking. In fact, it’s been reported that the groundhog’s seasonal predictions have only been accurate 39 percent of the time within the past 50 years. Essentially, you’d have a better chance of predicting the end of winter by flipping a coin than relying on a groundhog, but that shouldn’t be the takeaway of this story.

Rather than accuracy, the charm of the holiday lies in its quirkiness. The people of Punxsutawney don’t necessarily put stock in the predictions of the groundhog, but the holiday brings them together as a community. The town has garnered media attention and tourists who wish to participate in the February 2 holiday. It has inspired a movie and even a musical. It has transitioned from an event solely about the change of a season into a niche and wacky celebration which promotes communal support and joy. As far as the essence of what makes a seasonal holiday special, Groundhog Day, while unorthodox, captures it perfectly.