This photo titled ‘George Washington’s Birthday, a federal holiday honoring George Washington’ was originally implemented by an Act of Congress in 1879 for government offices in Washington and expanded in 1885 to include all federal offices.
As the first federal holiday to honor an American President, the holiday was celebrated on Washington’s actual birthday, February 22.
On January 1, 1971, the federal holiday was shifted to the third Monday in February by the Uniform Monday Holiday Act. This date places it between February 15 and 21, which makes the name “Washington’s Birthday” in some sense a misnomer, since it never occurs on Washington’s actual birthday, either February 11 (Old Style), or February 22 (New Style).
President’s Day is now a day set aside to honor all of the U.S. presidents, though we often still think of two great presidents; George Washington and Abraham Lincoln, who was born February 12, 1809.
It is a national holiday. While Federal employees, the post office, and banks have the day off, most businesses and industry do not recognize it as a paid holiday.
But kids love it because the day off school!
What are YOUR kids doing today? Please share below!
