Presidents' Day 2025: What and When is Presidents' Day? (2024)

Presidents’ Day is Monday, February 17, 2025! Did you know that the official federal holiday is called “Washington’s Birthday”? So, why do some states call it Presidents’ Day?Learnmore.

Is This Holiday Called Presidents’ Day or Washington’sBirthday?

Although the holiday is most often called “Presidents’ Day,” the observed federal holiday is officially called “Washington’s Birthday.”

Neither Congress nor the President has ever stipulated that the name of the holiday observed as Washington’s Birthday be changed to Presidents’ Day. Additionally, Congress has never declared a national holidaybinding in all states; each state has the freedom to determineits legal holidays. This is why there are some calendar discrepancies when it comes to this holiday’s date. Read more from the National Archives.

So why is Washington’s Birthday commonly called Presidents’Day?

In a sense, calling the holiday Presidents’ Day helps us reflect on not just the first president but also our nation’s founding, its values, and what Washington calls in his Farewell Address the “beloved Constitution and union, as received from the Founders.” Also, Abraham Lincoln’s birthday isin February (on the 12th), so by calling the holiday“Presidents’ Day,” we can also include another remarkable president in ourcelebrations.

Today, many calendars list the third Monday of February as Presidents’ Day, just as manyU.S. states do. Of course, all of the 3-day retail store sales are called “Presidents’ Day” sales, and thisvernacular has also been influential in how we reference theholiday.

When Is Presidents’Day?

Presidents’ Day isobserved annually on the third Monday in February.In 2025, Presidents’ Day will be celebratedon Monday, February17.

Presidents’ DayHistory

Historically, Americans began celebrating George Washington’s Birthday just months after his death, long before Congress declared it a federal holiday. It was not until 1879, under President Rutherford B. Hayes, that Washington’s Birthday became a legal holiday, to be observed on his birthday, February 22.

Washington’s birthday was celebrated on February 22 until well into the 20th century. In 1968, Congress passed the Monday Holiday Law to “provide uniform annual observances of certain legal public holidays on Mondays.” By creating more 3-day weekends, Congress hoped to “bring substantial benefits to both the spiritual and economic life of theNation.”

Is Presidents’ Day a FederalHoliday?

Today, George Washington’s Birthday is one of only eleven permanent federal holidays established by Congress. One of the great traditions followed for decades has been the reading by a U.S. senator of George Washington’s Farewell Addressin legislative session, which remains an annual event to thisday.

When Is George Washington’s RealBirthday?

Although the federal holiday is held on a Monday (the third Monday of February),George Washington’s birthday is observed on February 22. To complicate matters, Washington was actually born on February 11, 1731! How can thatbe?

George Washington was born when the Julian calendar was in use.During Washington’s lifetime, people in Great Britain and America switched the official calendar system from the Julian to the Gregorian calendar (something that most of Europe had already donein1582).

As a result of this calendar reform, people born before 1752 were told to add 11 days to their birth dates. Those born between January 1 and March 25, as Washington was, also had to add one year to be in sync with the newcalendar.

By the time Washington became president in 1789, he celebrated his birthday on February 22 and listed his birth year as1732.

To summarize, Washington’s birthday changed from February 11, 1731(Old-Style Julian calendar), to February 22, 1732 (New-Style Gregoriancalendar).

Myths AboutWashington

Legend has it that George Washington chopped down a cherry tree when he was six years oldand, when confronted by his father, said, “I can not tell a lie. I did it with myhatchet.”

Well, we can not tell a lie, either. Washingtondidn’t say this; he didn’t even chop down the tree! This tale was, in fact, concocted by Parson Mason Weems (1759–1825), one of Washington’s biographers, who made up the storyhoping to demonstrate Washington’shonesty.

This tale is not the only myth about Washington. His wooden dentures? They weren’t made of wood; they were made of hippopotamus teeth that had been filed down to fit into Washington’smouth.

CherryRecipes

It’s also just a myth thatGeorge Washington confessedto chopping down acherry tree. But the story inspired our deliciousNo-Lie Cherry Pierecipe! Plus, enjoy more cherryrecipes.

• No-Lie CherryPie
• Chocolate-Covered CherryCookies
• Cherry Pineapple DumpCake
• Cherry BerryPie
• Cherry Bounce (alcoholicdrink)

George WashingtonQuote

Upon entering office, Washington was not convinced he was the right man for the job. He wrote, “My movements to the chair of government will be accompanied by feelings not unlike those of a culpritwho is going to the place of his execution.” Fortunately for the young country, he waswrong.

Worry is the interest paid by those who borrow trouble.
–GeorgeWashington(1732–99)

Do you do anything special to celebrate Presidents’ Day? Let us know in thecomments!