I remember Februarys of my school days fondly. Just back from Christmas break and usually a short January school month, we got 2 whole days off from school. We took February 12 off for Lincoln’s Birthday and February 22 for Washington’s. And we got to make Valentine ‘mailboxes’ from shoe boxes and pass out valentines at school – that was like another day off from schoolwork. Some years, I remember Mom going out to buy new sheets at the great “White Sales”.

And, to top it off, how cool it was to have a month go by with only 28 (or sometimes 29) days in it. I remember my Grandmother one February telling me it was her favorite month because she only had 28 days to spend her month’s money. (She and my Grandfather were retired) I guess we can look forward to Februarys in the future if our pensions and social security hold out...

So, how did we get around to only one holiday, always on a Monday and calling it “President’s Day”? I poked around and think I got it figured out.

Things changed in 1968 when Congress decided to create a system of federal holidays that would all fall on a Monday. The law took effect in 1971. Washington’s Birthday would now be celebrated on the third Monday in February. Congress also tried to change the public holiday to "Presidents' Day", but this never made it into law.

"It was the collective judgment of the Committee on the Judiciary," stated Mr. William Moore McCulloch (R-Ohio) "that this would be unwise.
Certainly, not all Presidents are held in the same high esteem as the Father of our Country. There are many who are not inclined to pay their respects to certain Presidents. Moreover, it is probable that the members of one political party would not relish honoring a President from the other political party whether he was in office, no matter how outstanding history may find his leadership."

Well, I gotta agree with that statement!

The term Presidents' Day is now more commonly used, I assume mostly for marketing purposes. Even though most states with individual holidays honoring Washington and Lincoln shifted their state recognition date of Washington's Birthday to correspond to the third Monday in February, some states, including California, Idaho, Tennessee, Texas and others, chose not to retain the federal holiday title and renamed their state holiday "President's Day”.

So whatever and whenever you celebrate have a Fantastic February!