Understanding Presidents Day: Celebrations and Facts about the National Holiday


Understanding Presidents Day: Celebrations and Facts about the National Holiday


A significant number of people will enjoy a break from work on Monday to celebrate Presidents Day. While the federal holiday is often accompanied by numerous retail sales, it's important to understand the origins of this holiday.



Aside from Independence Day, there may not be another American holiday that exudes such strong patriotism.



What is the origin of the day that started as a humble observance of the birthdate of the initial leader of America? And what is the reason behind the abundance of commercials promoting car and furniture sales on television?


Learn about the history and origins of Presidents Day with the following information:


In 2019, a photo of Mount Rushmore in Keystone, South Dakota was captured, featuring the faces of four former United States presidents. On the upcoming Monday, known as Presidents Day, federal employees will have a day off and it is also a time when many retail sales and deals begin.The image of Mount Rushmore in Keystone, South Dakota from 2019 displays the portraits of four US chief executives. This coming Monday, which is observed as Presidents Day, will provide federal workers with a day off and also marks the beginning of numerous retail sales and deals.


What is the date for Presidents Day in 2024?


On Monday, Feb. 19th, Presidents Day falls on this year's calendar.


According to the Uniform Holiday Bill, signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1968, the holiday is celebrated on the third Monday of February. This bill, which took effect after three years, mandates that Memorial Day, Presidents Day, and Veterans Day occur on Mondays to avoid midweek closures and to extend long weekends on the federal calendar. According to Britannica, the bill aimed to prevent midweek shutdowns and add long weekends to the federal calendar by designating three holidays - Memorial Day, Presidents Day, and Veterans Day - to take place on Mondays.


Additional holidays, such as Labor Day and Martin Luther King Jr. Day, were initially designated to be commemorated on Mondays.


In 1978, the date for Veterans Day was changed back to November 11, and this day is still observed as a holiday to honor veterans.


What is the significance of Presidents Day?


The holiday known as Presidents Day was first created in 1879 to honor the birth of the first president of the United States, George Washington. It was originally referred to as "Washington's Birthday" and is still officially recognized as such by the federal government, as stated by the Department of State on their website.


After the passing of the esteemed leader of the American Revolution in 1799, February 22, which is commonly accepted as Washington's [birthday] (https://www.archives.gov/legislative/features/washington#:~:text=George%20Washington%20was%20born%20in,days%20to%20February%2022%2C%201732.), became an annual day of commemoration, as reported by History.com.


Throughout the 1800s, the day was not officially recognized until Senator Stephen Wallace Dorsey of Arkansas suggested that it should be made a federal holiday. It was then signed into law by President Rutherford B. Hayes in 1879, as reported by History.com.


Although originally only observed in Washington D.C., Washington's Birthday was established as a national holiday in 1885. It was the first holiday to honor the life of a specific American individual and was one of five holidays recognized by the federal government at the time, along with Christmas, New Year's, Thanksgiving, and the Fourth of July.


Presently, it is unlikely that the majority of Americans perceive the national holiday as a tribute solely dedicated to a particular president. As stated by the U.S. Department of State, Presidents Day has evolved to symbolize a day of acknowledgment and festivity for all of the leaders of the United States.


According to History.com, when the Uniform Holiday Bill came into effect in 1971, it included a clause to combine the observance of Washington's birthday and Abraham Lincoln's birthday on February 12. This was because the chosen date for the annual celebration always fell between the birthdays of Washington and Lincoln, leading Americans to believe that it was meant to honor both presidents.


The transition to "Presidents Day" may have been influenced by advertisers, which is quite intriguing.


According to History.com, numerous businesses took advantage of the three-day weekend by offering discounts and promotions for Presidents Day in order to attract customers and increase sales at stores nationwide.


What is the way in which the holiday is observed?


As a result of being a federal holiday, most federal employees will be granted a day off from work on Presidents Day.


One of the motivations behind President Johnson's decision to establish a uniform holiday was to provide Americans with an extended weekend in order to explore and appreciate the natural beauty of their country. As a result, popular destinations such as the Washington Monument in D.C. and Mount Rushmore in South Dakota, featuring the faces of four revered presidents - Washington, Lincoln, Thomas Jefferson, and Theodore Roosevelt - are sure to draw in a large number of visitors.


In the same way as Independence Day, this holiday is also seen as a festive observance. Unlike July, February may not be ideal for outdoor cookouts and pyrotechnic shows, but reenactments, parades, and other events are expected to occur in towns throughout the United States.


There is an abundance of locations associated with the presidency throughout the United States.


Americans may have divided opinions on current and past presidents, but they seem to hold a strong admiration for former leaders, as evidenced by the numerous places named after them.


According to the U.S. Census Bureau's report on President's Day in 2023, they gathered data from their databases to highlight intriguing geographic details about the cities and states of the country.


As expected, the census data reveals that the United States currently has a significant number of cities, counties, and towns with names of former presidents. More precisely, as of 2020, this is the case.



  • There are a total of 94 locations that bear the name "Washington."


  • 72 locations are known as "Lincoln."


  • Andrew Jackson, a highly debated individual who was involved in slave ownership and the forced movement of numerous Native Americans on the notorious Trail of Tears, has 67 places named in his honor.






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