What is Washington's Birthday?
Washington's Birthday is the official federal name of the holiday popularly known as Presidents' Day. It honours George Washington, the first President of the United States and the commander of the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War. Washington was born on 22 February 1732 in the New Style calendar, which was adopted in Britain and its colonies in 1752, or on 11 February in the Old Style calendar that was in use at the time. The federal law calls it Washington's Birthday, but the day is now seen by many as a general tribute to the presidency.
Despite the official name, the holiday is widely understood as a day to honour all presidents, and in some states it is called Presidents' Day, with Abraham Lincoln, whose birthday is 12 February, often included. It is a day for retail sales, particularly of cars and furniture, and for school events and readings of Washington's Farewell Address, which the US Senate has read aloud each year since 1896. Many schools close for the day, and in some districts the holiday is part of a mid-winter break. Mount Vernon, his Virginia home, hosts special events.
Why it is observed
The holiday was first established for federal employees in the District of Columbia in 1879 and extended to all federal employees in 1885, and it was thus the first federal holiday to honour an individual American. The Uniform Monday Holiday Act of 1968, effective from 1971, moved it to the third Monday in February in order to create more long weekends. Efforts to rename it Presidents' Day were considered in Congress, but the federal law still uses Washington's Birthday. The date therefore falls between 15 and 21 February and can never be Washington's actual birthday.
How the date is set
Washington's Birthday is the third Monday of February, so it falls between 15 and 21 February. It never falls on 22 February, George Washington's actual birthday.
How it is observed
Washington's Birthday is a federal holiday, so federal offices, banks, the stock markets, post offices and public schools are closed. Many private employers give the day off, but they are not required to, and many shops remain open and run sales. Some states have their own names for the holiday, and state holidays can differ. The long weekend is a popular time for winter travel and skiing. Pay and time off depend on the employer, the state and the contract. Note that some states observe the day under a different name.
United States