President's Day
It's another holiday. Another day off. Another reason for the stores to have sales. Another reason to sit around and do nothing. One wonders why we have them.
I suspect Presidents Washington and Lincoln would find it amusing that their birthdays are cause for a holiday. I, of course, liked it best when we got BOTH days off, which did happen occasionally when I was in elementary school. (Yes, I'm THAT old!) Before the Monday Holiday bill of 1968, Washington's birthdate (Feb 22) was the official holiday, but the retail community was already hypeing the 10-day difference between Washington's and Lincoln's birthdates (Feb 12) and advertising "President's Day" sales.
Washington's birthday holiday was actually the first holiday for a famous person's birthday. Before then, the only days recognized as holidays were New Year's Day, Independence Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas - all recognized in a bill that passed in 1870. Washington's birthday was added in the late 1870s. Interestingly enough, when the Monday Holiday Bill was being debated and Washington's birthday was being set on the 3rd Monday of February. No one seem to care that Feb 22 would NEVER fall on the third Monday. And the good representative from Illinois, who was given the job of shepherding the bill through the House Judiciary Committee, was content to "let sleeping dogs lie" as he knew that Lincoln's birthday stood a good chance of occasionally falling on that same 3rd Monday.
So, what do you do on President's Day? Is it a day off with just fun and games for you. Or, are you one of the millions of retail workers in this country who don't get the holiday because of all the "sales?" It is amazing that we don't really celebrate "holidays" anymore - at least not those that are historical in nature.
~~Denise
I suspect Presidents Washington and Lincoln would find it amusing that their birthdays are cause for a holiday. I, of course, liked it best when we got BOTH days off, which did happen occasionally when I was in elementary school. (Yes, I'm THAT old!) Before the Monday Holiday bill of 1968, Washington's birthdate (Feb 22) was the official holiday, but the retail community was already hypeing the 10-day difference between Washington's and Lincoln's birthdates (Feb 12) and advertising "President's Day" sales.
Washington's birthday holiday was actually the first holiday for a famous person's birthday. Before then, the only days recognized as holidays were New Year's Day, Independence Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas - all recognized in a bill that passed in 1870. Washington's birthday was added in the late 1870s. Interestingly enough, when the Monday Holiday Bill was being debated and Washington's birthday was being set on the 3rd Monday of February. No one seem to care that Feb 22 would NEVER fall on the third Monday. And the good representative from Illinois, who was given the job of shepherding the bill through the House Judiciary Committee, was content to "let sleeping dogs lie" as he knew that Lincoln's birthday stood a good chance of occasionally falling on that same 3rd Monday.
So, what do you do on President's Day? Is it a day off with just fun and games for you. Or, are you one of the millions of retail workers in this country who don't get the holiday because of all the "sales?" It is amazing that we don't really celebrate "holidays" anymore - at least not those that are historical in nature.
~~Denise
Labels: Holidays, President's Day
posted by Denise Patrick @ 9:22 PM
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