Woo-hoo! It’s Groundhog Day — for the past 19 years, one of our family’s favorite holidays. No, we’ve never been to Gobbler’s Knob in Punxsutawney and we’ve never seen old Punxsutawney Phil — the groundhog with the all-important shadow — in person.

Maybe next year.

This year, however, we’ll find out on the morning news what Phil’s 7:25 a.m. forecast is. That’s when the top-hatted men bring him out for a look at the weather. If Phil sees his shadow, we’ll have six more weeks of winter, and if he doesn’t see his shadow, spring is here.

Punxsutawnians have been celebrating Groundhog Day since 1886. But since it’s not yet an official holiday, our family celebration is postponed until the sun goes down. Then countless Curtises skedaddle home from work, school, wherever (much like the opening to the Simpsons), gathering round the rosy glow of the big screen to watch one of our all-time favorite movies — “Groundhog Day.”

If you’ve never seen this hilarious movie, you really need to. And if you’ve seen it before, you probably need to see it again. Its positive message, catchy music and laugh-out-loud humor have made it a yearly family ritual for us.

“Groundhog Day” is the story of a small-potatoes Pennsylvania weatherman named Phil — yeah, like the groundhog — played by Bill Murray. With his unfulfilled dreams of hitting the big time, Phil is a jaded, caustic narcissist, disgusted with his Groundhog Day assignment — traveling for the third year in a row to cover the event in Punxsutawney. With him are his radiant new producer Rita (Andie MacDowell) and nebbishy cameraman Larry (Chris Elliott).

Phil’s contempt for everything and everyone around him are almost palpable. He can’t wait to wrap the show and get out of Punxsutawney. But a blizzard keeps them from getting out of town.

The next day Phil wakes up to the same tune playing on the radio, the same morning anchor chitchat. He looks out the window and sees the same snowless scene he saw the day before.

And so begins Phil’s nightmare, trapped in an endless repetition of Groundhog Day, though he’s the only one who knows it. Phil journeys through disbelief, frustration, opportunism and suicidal despair before he realizes that he is the one responsible for his misery. His liberation comes when he finally decides to make the most of every moment, and in so doing begins to make himself a better man and the world a better place.

As Phil begins acts of mercy — saving the lives of others — his own life is saved. But just because it has a decent story line, don’t think it won’t be one of the funniest movies you ever saw.

If you need a second opinion, visit rottentomatoes.com, a site which rates movies based on published reviews. “Groundhog Day,” rated PG, racked up a very impressive and unusual 97 percent.

The movie is family-friendly fare that proves there’s a world of laughter out there apart from jokes about sex and bodily functions. There is no nudity or bad language, but a very brief scene of clothes-on making out you may want to fast forward.

“Groundhog Day” was released in 1993 during a kinder, gentler time when filmmakers didn’t rely on coarseness for laughs. Families will appreciate the intelligent humor and discussion potential. For years, my kids have gotten the message that their attitudes need adjustment when I simply say, “Groundhog Day.”

They know it’s time to start over, live for others and let your life be redeemed.

Curtis, who blogs at mommylife.net, is a mother of 12 and author from Lovettsville.