Americans observe Presidents Day on the third Monday of February (this year, that falls on Feb. 20). But what are the origins of the holiday? And who exactly are we honoring?
For decades, Americans have observed Presidents Day on the third Monday of February . It’s a federal holiday that affords us an opportunity to take advantage of sales aplenty or simply relax and enjoy a three-day weekend.
But as the Office of Personnel Management indicates, states can — and will — do their own thing. And many, from Alaska to Wyoming, recognize the holiday as Presidents Day. So how did Presidents Day become the common name for the day? According to Snopes.com, there was talk of creating a Presidents Day as far back as the 1950s as a way of celebrating Washington’s birthday and Abraham Lincoln’s birthday at the same time. And people often think the third Monday of February is just that: a combined celebration of two great presidents, despite the Washington’s Birthday federal designation. But again, many states do designate it as Presidents Day.
How do fans of George Washington feel about all this? We can’t speak for all the George Washington groupies out there. But the Mount Vernon crowd certainly has strong opinions. “Bring Back Washington’s Birthday!” they say on the Mount Vernon website. And they’re calling on others to write to their elected officials and tell them the same.
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