Presidents' Day

or Presidents Day

noun

the third Monday in February, a legal holiday in the U.S., commemorating the birthdays of George Washington and Abraham Lincoln.

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What is Presidents' Day?

Presidents’ Day is a U.S. national holiday celebrating the birthdays of George Washington and Abraham Lincoln.

It is a federal holiday and is officially called Washington’s Birthday.

While Presidents’ Day celebrates two specific presidents, it’s commonly seen as a day to observe the contributions of presidents throughout U.S. history. This is reflected in the plural spelling of Presidents’. Sometimes, it is spelled without an apostrophe, as Presidents Day. (It is also common to see people spell it as President’s Day, though this is not considered standard.)

Find all the facts you ever wanted about Presidents’ Day by reading our article on all the conversations surrounding the holiday.

When is Presidents' Day?

Presidents’ Day takes place every year on the third Monday in February. This means that the specific date changes each year.

Presidents’ Day 2024 is on February 19. Presidents’ Day 2025 will take place on February 17.

More information and context on Presidents' Day

Presidents’ Day began as a celebration of George Washington’s birthday, February 22, and originally took place on that day. This celebration was unofficial until 1879. It was made a federal holiday in 1885. In 1971, the Uniform Monday Holiday Act changed the observance of the holiday so that it would always fall on a Monday, resulting in a three-day weekend. In many places, Abraham Lincoln’s Birthday (which is on February 12) is also observed as part of Presidents’ Day. Because President’s Day is a federal holiday, many schools and workplaces are closed on the day. Schoolchildren often learn about presidents and their role in U.S. history around this time, but the holiday is not commonly marked with any widespread festivities.

What are some terms that often get used in discussing President’s Day?

How is Presidents' Day discussed in real life?

In the U.S., most people treat Presidents’ Day as a day off from work or school. It is not commonly marked with any festivities, though retail businesses are known for having sales during what’s called Presidents’ Day weekend.

#WATCH: National Constitution Center Celebrates Presidents' Day With Free Admission https://t.co/sS4L1j42Xa

— CBS Philadelphia (@CBSPhiladelphia) February 19, 2018

Nobody actually “celebrates” Presidents Day. They just close the post office and banks.

— Rick Novy (@RickNovy) February 17, 2019

Drive away with the exceptional safety of a Volvo XC90 at our Presidents’ Day Sales Event. Head into Volvo Cars of Austin today. https://t.co/AI7bBZb2GF pic.twitter.com/orYz3lqDis

— Volvo Cars of Austin (@VolvoAustin) February 2, 2021

Try using Presidents' Day!

True or False?

Presidents’ Day always takes place on February 22.

president pro tempore presidentship

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