History of President's Day

February 16, 2023

Article Shared from History.com


Presidents' Day is a federal holiday celebrated on the third Monday in February; Presidents' Day 2023 will occur on Monday, February 20. ๏ปฟ

Originally established in 1885 in recognition of President George Washington, the holiday became popularly known as Presidents' Day after it was moved as a part of 1971’s Uniform Monday Holiday Act, an attempt to create more three-day weekends for the nation’s workers. While several states still have individual holidays honoring the birthdays of Washington, Abraham Lincoln, and other figures, Presidents' Day is now popularly viewed as a day to celebrate all U.S. presidents, past and present.


Washington's Birthday,


The story of Presidents' Day date begins in 1800. Following the death of George Washington in 1799, his February 22 birthday became a perennial day of remembrance.

At the time, Washington was venerated as the most important figure in American history, and events like the 1832 centennial of his birth and the start of construction of the Washington Monument in 1848 were cause for national celebration.


While Washington’s Birthday was an unofficial observance for most of the 1800s, it was not until the late 1870s that it became a federal holiday. Senator Stephen Wallace Dorsey of Arkansas was the first to propose the measure, and in 1879 President Rutherford B. Hayes signed it into law.


The holiday initially only applied to the District of Columbia, but in 1885, it was expanded to the whole country. At the time, Washington’s Birthday joined four other nationally recognized federal bank holidays—Christmas Day, New Year’s Day, the Fourth of July, and Thanksgiving—and was the first to celebrate the life of an individual American. Martin Luther King Jr. Day, signed into law in 1983, was the second.


Uniform Monday Holiday Act


The shift from Washington’s Birthday to Presidents' Day began in the late 1960s when Congress proposed a measure known as the Uniform Monday Holiday Act. Championed by Senator Robert McClory of Illinois, this law sought to shift the celebration of several federal holidays from specific dates to a series of predetermined Mondays.


The proposed change was seen by many as a novel way to create more three-day weekends for the nation’s workers, and it was believed that ensuring holidays always fell on the same weekday would reduce employee absenteeism. While some argued that shifting holidays from their original dates would cheapen their meaning, the bill also had widespread support from both the private sector and labor unions and was seen as a surefire way to bolster retail sales.


The Uniform Monday Holiday Act also included a provision to combine the celebration of Washington’s birthday with that of Abraham Lincoln, which fell on February 12. Lincoln’s Birthday had long been a state holiday in places like Illinois, and many supported joining the two days as a way of giving equal recognition to two of America’s most famous statesmen.


McClory was among the measure’s major proponents and even floated the idea of renaming the holiday Presidents' Day. This proved to be a point of contention for lawmakers from George Washington’s home state of Virginia, and the proposal was eventually dropped.


Nevertheless, the main piece of the Uniform Monday Holiday Act passed in 1968 and officially took effect in 1971 following an executive order from President Richard M. Nixon. Washington’s Birthday was then shifted from the fixed date of February 22 to the third Monday of February. Columbus Day, Memorial Day, and Veterans Day were also moved from their traditionally designated dates. (As a result of widespread criticism, in 1978 Veterans Day was returned to its original November 11 date.)


What Presidents Do We Celebrate on Presidents' Day?


While Nixon’s order plainly called the newly placed holiday Washington’s Birthday, it was not long before the shift to Presidents' Day began.


The move away from February 22 led many to believe that the new date was intended to honor both Washington and Lincoln, as it now fell between their two birthdays. Marketers soon jumped at the opportunity to play up the three-day weekend with sales, and “Presidents' Day” bargains were advertised at stores around the country.

By the mid-1980s, Washington’s Birthday was known to many Americans as Presidents' Day. This shift had solidified in the early 2000s, by which time as many as half the 50 states had changed the holiday’s name to Presidents' Day on their calendars.


Some states have even chosen to customize the holiday by adding new figures to the celebration. Arkansas, for instance, celebrates Washington as well as civil rights activist Daisy Gatson Bates. Meanwhile, Alabama uses Presidents' Day to commemorate Washington and Thomas Jefferson (born in April).


Washington and Lincoln still remain the two most recognized leaders, but Presidents' Day is now popularly seen as a day to recognize the lives and achievements of all of America’s chief executives. Some lawmakers have objected to this view, arguing that grouping George Washington and Abraham Lincoln together with less successful presidents minimizes their legacies.


Congressional measures to restore Washington and Lincoln’s individual birthdays were proposed during the early 2000s, but all failed to gain much attention. For its part, the federal government has held fast to the original incarnation of the holiday as a celebration of the country’s first president. The third Monday in February is still listed as Washington’s Birthday on official calendars.


What Is Closed On Presidents' Day?

As a federal holiday, many banks and schools are closed in observance of Presidents' Day. The New York Stock Exchange and NASDAQ are closed for trading on Presidents' Day. The post office is not open and non-essential federal workers have the day off.


Presidents' Day Celebrations and Traditions


Like Independence Day, Presidents' Day is traditionally viewed as a time of patriotic celebration and remembrance. In its original incarnation as Washington’s Birthday, the holiday gained special meaning during the difficulties of the Great Depression, when portraits of George Washington often graced the front pages of newspapers and magazines every February 22.


In 1932, the date was used to reinstate the Purple Heart, a military decoration originally created by George Washington to honor soldiers killed or wounded while serving in the armed forces. Patriotic groups and the Boy Scouts of America also held celebrations on the day, and in 1938 some 5,000 people attended mass at Saint Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City in honor of Washington.


In its modern form, Presidents' Day is used by many patriotic and historical groups as a date for staging celebrations, reenactments, and other events. A number of states also require that their public schools spend days leading up to Presidents' Day teaching students about the accomplishments of the presidents.


Read the original article here > https://www.history.com/topics/holidays/presidents-day

April 16, 2025
Let’s take a little journey through time and uncover the real history of Easter—because it’s more than just a springtime excuse to eat too much chocolate (though we love that too ๐Ÿ˜‰). ๐ŸŒ… Ancient Spring Festivals: A Time of Renewal Long before Easter became a Christian holiday, people across the world celebrated the arrival of spring—the season of rebirth and renewal. Many cultures marked the spring equinox (around March 20–21) with festivals honoring fertility, new life, and the end of winter's gloom. One such festival was dedicated to Eostre, the Anglo-Saxon goddess of spring and fertility. Sound familiar? Yep—Easter likely got its name from her! Legend says Eostre’s symbols included the hare (a symbol of fertility) and the egg (a symbol of new life). Sounding kind of Easter-y already, right? โœ๏ธ Easter and Christianity: The Heart of the Holiday For Christians, Easter is one of the most important days of the year. It celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ, which, according to the New Testament, happened on the third day after his crucifixion. The timeline of Easter is tied to Passover, a Jewish holiday. That’s why Easter doesn’t fall on the same date every year—it follows a lunar calendar rather than a fixed one. Easter Sunday is observed on the first Sunday after the first full moon following the spring equinox (got all that? ๐Ÿ˜‰). The week leading up to Easter is known as Holy Week, and includes: Palm Sunday (Jesus' arrival in Jerusalem) Maundy Thursday (The Last Supper) Good Friday (The crucifixion) Easter Sunday (The resurrection) ๐Ÿฅš Where Do Eggs and Bunnies Fit In? Ah yes—the fun stuff! ๐Ÿฐ As Christianity spread, many local spring customs (like egg-decorating and bunny folklore) blended with Easter celebrations. Eggs, already a symbol of new life, became a natural fit for the resurrection story. In the Middle Ages, people would even paint and give eggs as gifts during Easter time. The Easter Bunny hopped into the scene thanks to German immigrants in the 1700s. They brought tales of an egg-laying hare called “Osterhase.” Kids would build nests for it—sound like your Easter basket tradition? Fast-forward to the 19th century, and the Victorians were exchanging elaborately decorated eggs—some filled with candy. Enter chocolate eggs, which became a thing in Europe in the 1800s and never looked back. ๐Ÿซ ๐ŸŒ Easter Around the World Easter traditions vary wildly, and that’s part of what makes it so magical. Some cool global customs: In Spain, processions fill the streets with music, robes, and candlelight. In Greece, red eggs symbolize the blood of Christ. In the U.S., the White House hosts an annual Easter Egg Roll on the lawn (a tradition started in 1878!). ๐ŸŒผ Wrapping It Up: More Than Just Peeps and Pastels Easter is a holiday with deep roots—spanning ancient goddesses, sacred stories, and joyful spring traditions. Whether you celebrate it for religious reasons, cultural fun, or just because you love brunch and bunnies (no judgment!), it's a reminder of hope, renewal, and fresh beginnings. And hey, who doesn’t love a little celebration of life with a side of Cadbury eggs? Happy Easter, everyone! ๐ŸŒธ Have a tradition you love or a fun Easter memory? Drop it in the comments—I’d love to hear how YOU celebrate! — Building Care made Easy Enviro USA Inc โœจ
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By Scottye Davis December 10, 2024
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