when you know when Washington’s and Lincoln’s birthdays were. Andy (in Montana) and I (in California) didn’t have to go to school on February 12 because it was Lincoln’s birthday, and on February 22 because it was Washington’s.
Then we thought they combined the two into Presidents’ Day and put it on the Monday between them. Wrong! Washington’s Birthday has been a federal holiday since 1879. Lincoln’s Birthday has never been. But starting in 1971 the government moved some holidays, including Washington’s Birthday, to a Monday to give federal employees a three-day weekend.
So what’s the story about Presidents’ Day?
While still officially called “Washington’s Birthday” by the federal government today, the unofficial name “Presidents Day” gained popularity as retailers and state and local governments broadened the scope to honor all our presidents, including Washington and Lincoln whose birthdays bookend that Monday.
—USA Today
So that’s why my calendar said yesterday was Presidents’ Day and the National Weather Service called it Washington’s Birthday. Who would have guessed? Not us!
February 18, 2025
God bless always.
🙂
…and now there is a push to celebrate Trump’s birthday on Flag Day of all days!
I know. 🙁
Another fun factoid! (Now after seeing Kaitlin’s comment yesterday … is someone else we know about to celebrate a birthday?)
Could be. Someone we know very well. 🙂
I didn’t know that! But I do remember having the two separate birthdays for Washington and Lincoln. Thanks! 🙂
That’s what we remembered. 🙂
I didn’t know that it’s still called Washington’s birthday by the government. I do remember them being combined.
I didn’t know that either. Andy noticed it on the National Weather Service forecast so I looked it up. We thought they had made a mistake.
Good grief! Seems like we never know the REAL date of any famous birthdays anymore! I remember when Washington’s and Lincoln’s Birthdays were on the actual birth days.
That’s what we remembered. It seems jarring for the feds to call it Washington’s Birthday when it doesn’t fall on the right date.
Yes, the public holidays often have no real meaning. In the UK they are often called Bsnk Holiday. Again ti give employees a long weekend.
Here in NZ some such holidays do not fall on a Monday, like recently when Waitangi day fell on a Thursday. So if course some businesses took Friday off as well..
Thanks for telling us that!
They (the calendar folks) keep us confused all the time. I am constantly seeing a flagged day on my phone calendar and lo and behold….it’s some kind of day I’ve never heard of.
🙂
Every day seems to be something special lately. We do see some really crazy names for some of them. At our age yesterday was just another day of the week:)
We usually feel that way too.
I am with Shug, I don’t pay attention to birthdays, and only new Washington because of my sons BD. and I get aggravated with my phone when I go to put appt on it and it says presidents day, and it makes the tiny thing crowded.
I can’t remember back to any specific dates that we used to get off from school.
It depended on the state.
Thank you so much for that information – I was wondering about that.
I’m glad it helped.