President's Day federal holiday is celebrated on the third Monday in February. The holiday commemorates all the former US presidents' achievements and sacrifices. Interestingly, the day is celebrated on the same day as George Washington's birthday. The holiday is also celebrated a day after Abraham Lincoln's birth date. In the early 19th century, the day was acknowledged as a fasting and prayer day. People would offer prayers to God and ask for protection over their president.
Is it President's Day or Presidents' Day?
The day celebrates all the presidents of the United States. Therefore, the right name for this holiday is Presidents' Day.
Which Are The Alternative Names Of Presidents' Day?
Some states celebrate the day under a different name other than the Presidents' Day. These names include George Washington's Day, Washington and Lincoln Day and President's Day.
Which States Do Not Observe The Presidents' Day?
The US states that do not celebrate the Presidents' Day are Florida, Lowa, Kentucky, Delaware, Louisiana, Rhode Island, Kansas, and North Carolina.
Presidents' Day History
The history of the Presidents' Day holiday dates back in 1800 after the death of George Washington. People celebrated his birthday on February 22 as a way to remember the first president in American history. In 1879, Washington's Birthday was signed into law as a federal holiday.
In 1971, the Uniform Monday Holiday Act shifted the day to be celebrated on the third Monday of February every year. The day also changed its name to Presidents' Day as a way to commemorate all the presidents of the United States.
Presidents' Day Traditions
Presidents' Day is a time of patriotic remembrance. Before the holiday was declared as a day to celebrate all the presidents of the United States, portraits of George Washington would grace the front pages of newspapers every February 22nd.
Today, Presidents' Day is marked by staged celebrations and reenactments. Some states require teachers of public schools to teach students about the accomplishments of former US presidents, mostly focusing on the lives of Washington and Lincoln.
Why Do We Celebrate President's Day?
We observe the holiday to honor the present and past presidents of the United States for making the country the land it is today.
How to Celebrate Presidents' Day
Americans mark this day by engaging in various activities. You can visit Mt. Vernon, VA, where Washington's ancestral home and tomb lies. On Presidents' Day, entry to the place is often free of charge.
If you adore Abraham Lincoln, you should consider visiting his memorial in Washington, DC.
If you love reading, you might find it satisfying to read George Washington's Farewell Address and reflecting on his contributions to the country. Another great read you can reflect on is Abraham Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation. If you'd rather stay indoors, watch the 1988 Tommy Lee Jones film, which relates to Washington's war troops.
Presidents' Day Activities for Kids
For kids, the day is often marked with festivals and decorations. Children use masks of the past presidents to commemorate the day. You can also make Presidents' Day T-shirts with the kids since they are out of school on that day. If your kids love books, read them a book by Margaret McNamara that tells of myths, truths, and a funny story about Washington's 7th birthday. To crown the day, go shopping with the kids and take advantage of the Presidents' Day Sales.
What Food to Eat On Presidents' Day?
George Washington loved nuts and fish. He was also fond of cherries, and Cherry Bounce was his favorite drink. President John Adams adored Madeira wine. Consider inviting your family and friends over for the Presidents' Day weekend and observe the day by including some of those foods into your menu. Most American households celebrate the holiday by ensuring their meals have a recipe of cherries.
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magazines use the form "President's Day" as an alternate rendering of "Washington's Birthday". The name Presidents' Day is also the more common version of the name when used internationally. This confusion as to the name is that despite its status as a federal holiday, states are free to name this holiday as they wish or even whether or not it is observed as a public holiday in that state. State by state guide to Presidents' Day While the day might be a holiday at a state level, whether or not a private company is likely to observe the day as a holiday depends on the nationwide approach to public holidays in that company. Most government offices and public schools will be closed and it is a postal holiday, so there will be no mail deliveries on President's Day. The original version of the holiday was in commemoration of George Washington's birthday in 1796 [the last full year of his presidency]. Washington, according to the calendar that has been used since at least the mid-18th century, was born on February 22nd 1732. According to the old style calendar in use back then, however, he was born on February 11th. In 1796, many Americans celebrated his birthday on the 22nd while others marked the occasion on the 11th instead. By the early 19th century, Washington's Birthday had taken firm root in the American experience as a bona fide national holiday. Its traditions included Birthnight Balls in various regions, speeches, and receptions given by prominent public figures, and a lot of revelry in taverns throughout the land. President Chester Alan Arthur was the first to designate Washington's original birth date as a national holiday in 1885. Then along came Abraham Lincoln, another revered president
and fellow February baby [born on the 12th of the month]. The first formal observance of his birthday took place in 1865, the year after his assassination when both houses of Congress gathered for a memorial address. While Lincoln's Birthday did not become a federal holiday like George Washington's, it did become a legal holiday in several states. In 1968, legislation [HR 15951] was enacted
that affected several federal holidays. One of these was Washington's Birthday, the observation of which was shifted to the third Monday in February each year whether or not it fell on the 22nd. This act, which took effect in 1971, was designed to simplify the yearly calendar of holidays and give federal employees some standard three-day weekends in the process. An early draft of the Uniform Monday Holiday Act suggested renaming the federal holiday as "Presidents' Day" to honor
the birthdays of both Washington and Lincoln. This proposal failed in committee and on 28 June 1968, the bill was voted on and signed into law, keeping the name "Washington's Birthday". In the 1980s, advertising campaigns for holiday furniture and other durable-goods sales began adding Lincoln to the mix and popularizing the term Presidents Day. While the holiday in February is still officially known as Washington's Birthday [at least
according to the Office of Personnel Management], it has become popularly [and, in some cases at the state level, legally] known as "Presidents' Day." This has made the third Monday in February a day for honoring both Washington and Lincoln, as well as all the other men who have served as president. In Arkansas, Daisy Gatson Bates Day is a state holiday celebrated on the third Monday in February. We use images of Mount Rushmore on this page, so here is some background on this monument. Mount Rushmore is located in the Black Hills in Keystone, South Dakota. Sculpted by Danish-American Gutzon Borglum and his son, Lincoln Borglum. The side of the mountain features 18-meter [60-foot] sculptures of the heads of four United States presidents from left to right: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln. These four Presidents were
chosen for this monumental sculpture for the following reasons: How long until President's Day? President's Day
Dates of President's Day in USA Summary President's Day in other countries President's Day internationally
Which regions observe President's Day in 2023?
When is Washington's Birthday/President's Day?
History
of Presidents' Day
Washington's Birthday
Mount
Rushmore
Did you know?
Three facts about President's Day
John F. Kennedy was the first president who was a Boy Scout
Abraham Lincoln's birthday falls close to George Washington's, but Lincoln's is not a federal holiday. Some states still celebrate his birthday along with George Washington's
The tallest U.S. President was Abraham Lincoln at 6 feet 4 inches [193 centimeters], while the shortest was James Madison at 5 feet 4 inches [163 centimeters].More facts about President's Day