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| Washington`s Birthday or President`s Day? |
February 10, 2004 |
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By federal law, we celebrate George Washington`s Birthday on the third Monday of February. The date is a convenient three-day weekend for many, but typically a few days from Washington`s actual Birthday.
Our first President was born on February 11 under the calendar popular at the time. Later, the United States began using the Gregorian calendar, which moved his birthday to February 22.
This year, we celebrate it on the 16th -- or President`s Day, depending on the state. The reason for the shift to President`s Day is that another of our greatest Presidents, Abraham Lincoln, was also born in February -- on the 12th. The third Monday typically falls between the birthdays of these two great Americans.
Federal law enshrines Washington`s Birthday. A proclamation by President Nixon coined the term President`s Day, which has become the more common term over the years. |
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