Exactly What Are We Celebrating on President’s Day?

It's President's Day and it's a day off for most students, state and federal workers, and bankers, but just what are we celebrating?

The story actually began in 1800.  Following the death of President George Washington in 1799, his February 22 birthday became a day for remembrance.  However, it wasn't until 1879 that "Washington's Birthday" as it's still titled by the Federal Government, became an official American holiday.

Traditionally celebrated on February 22, which is Washington’s actual day of birth, the holiday became popularly known as Presidents’ Day after it was moved to the third Monday of February as part of 1971’s Uniform Monday Holiday Act, an attempt to create more three-day weekends for the nation’s workers.

The Uniform Monday Holiday Act also included a provision to combine the celebration of Washington’s Birthday with Abraham Lincoln’s, which fell on the approximate date of February 12.   Also moved in this piece of legislation were the dates for Columbus Day, Memorial Day and Veteran's Day...however, widespread criticism forced the return of Veteran's Day in 1980 to its original date of November 11.

With the passing of the legislation, President's Day would not only honor Washington and Lincoln but would be a day to honor all Presidents, past and future.

What's odd is that President's Day never falls on the actual birthday of any American president. Four of them, George Washington, William Henry Harrison, Abraham Lincoln and Ronald Reagan, were all born in February, but their birthdays all come either too early or late to coincide with Presidents’ Day.