No matter what the stores call their sales, the federal holiday today is Washington’s Birthday.
Washington’s Birthday was celebrated on February 22 from its Congressional approval in 1879* until legislation in 1968 designated the third Monday of February as the official day to celebrate Washington’s birthday.
The states are not obliged to adopt federal holidays, which only affect federal offices and agencies. While most states have adopted Washington’s Birthday, a dozen of them officially celebrate Presidents’ Day. A number of the states that celebrate Washington’s Birthday also recognize Lincoln’s Birthday as a separate legal holiday.
14 weeks until the next holiday.
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* Washington’s Birthday was the fifth federal legal holiday. Only New Year’s Day, Independence Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas Day preceded it. There are 10 now, but Labor Day will be eliminated soon.
but Labor Day will be eliminated soon
Good one.
Mack’s swim coach this winter is a high school senior. Yesterday, at the end of practice, he told the kids to “Have a nice Washington’s Birthday.” I just about threw my hands up in the air to cheer. I couldn’t remember the last time I heard someone actually call the holiday by the right name. (Well, close enough – here it is actually supposed to be called “George Washington Day.”) Everyone, absolutely everyone, calls it President’s Day. Even our school lunch calendar has it wrong.
Dude! We live in Virginia, birthplace of the Father of our Country. Get it right!