Monday, Feb. 16, marks the day the country honors those who have been the chief executive of the U.S.
It was the day that was set aside to celebrate George Washington, but it has, for many, it has come to encompass all presidents, according to Britannica.
According to Mount Vernon’s website, the U.S. made Feb. 22, Washington’s Birthday, a federal holiday in 1879, but in 1968, the celebration was moved from the specific date to the third Monday in February as part of the Uniform Monday Holiday Act. Mount Vernon was Washington’s home in Virginia.
But while we call the day “Presidents Day,” it is not the official name. It was proposed in 1951, but it was never formally adopted, according to Mount Vernon’s website. Instead, it was advertising campaigns for holiday sales that led to it being popularized and accepted.
It also stopped focusing on Washington, and celebrated the office of the president and combined the holiday with Abraham Lincoln’s birthday on Feb. 12.
However, the Office of Personnel Management, the human resources agency of the federal government, still calls the day Washington’s Birthday, USA Today reported.
According to an OPM website notation, “This holiday is designated as ‘Washington’s Birthday’ in section 6103(a) of title 5 of the United States Code, which is the law that specifies holidays for Federal employees. Though other institutions such as state and local governments and private businesses may use other names, it is our policy to always refer to holidays by the names designated in the law.”
What is open/closed on Presidents Day/Washington’s Birthday?
Not everything will be closed on Monday. Here is a list of what will be open and closed, but as always, you should check local businesses for their operating hours.
Closed:
- Government offices
- Courts
- USPS/no mail delivery
- Stock Market
- Banks
Open (but may have limited hours):