Presidents Day 2022 – History, Date and Important Facts

As
we are all set to celebrate President Day 2022, you might be looking to know it
in detail. Presidents Day is one of the most important federal holidays in
America. It is celebrated on the third Monday of February. The day is
celebrated as the remembrance of US presidents. Presidents Day is recognized
for honoring George Washington and Abraham Lincoln.  Some people also celebrate it as the
celebration of the birth and lives of former US presidents.

When
is Presidents Day – Day and Date

As
we said earlier that Presidents Day is celebrated on the third Monday of
February. So, Presidents Day 2022 will be celebrated on Monday, 21 February
2022.

• Presidents
  Day 2021 was on Monday, February 15.
• Presidents
  Day 2020 was on Monday, February 17.
• While
  Presidents Day 2023 will be celebrated on Monday, February 20. 

Other
Countries Celebrating Presidents Day

Apart
from the US, there are some other countries that also celebrate Presidents Day.
Botswana, Kazakhstan, Palau and Tajikistan are other countries celebrating
Presidents Day.

In
Botswana, Presidents Day is celebrated on July 19.  The day is a holiday as the country remembers
its presidents.

In
Kazakhstan, it is celebrated as First Presidents Day. Also called the Day of
the First President, it will be celebrated on 1 December 2022.

In
Tajikistan, Presidents Day is celebrated on 16 November.

However,
Presidents Day in Palau will be observed on 1st June.

What
is the Meaning of Presidents Day?

When
we try to define Presidents Day, we can best define it as a day to commemorate
the Presidents of America, starting from the first president George Washington.
It is celebrated every year on the third Monday of February. In 2022,
Presidents Day will be observed on 21 May.

Why
Do We Celebrate Presidents Day?

As
Presidents Day is widely popular across the United States, you might have
questions like how do we celebrate Presidents Day. Here we try to answer this.

Learning
Lessons

A
proverb says that we learn from history that we learn nothing from history. The
life of presidents who have done a lot for the country offers several lessons
that help you know America and your responsibilities towards the nation.

Knowing
Your Presidents

As
an American, you should know your presidents. Most of us know about popular
presidents but there are presidents who are not well known in today’s
generation. You should know the presidents who are not as popular as George
Washington or Abraham Lincoln.

Sense
of Belonging

As
Americans, we have a sense of belonging. Emotions like nationalism, patriotism
and great America are what we deeply adore. So, knowing our presidents and
remembering them on this day has great significance. We would like to pass this
off to the next generations. So while celebrating Presidents Day 2022, tell
your children about the great contribution of the presidents to the country.

When
is George Washington’s Birthday?

George
Washington’s birthday is on 22 January. The first president of America was born
on 22 January 1732 in Virginia.

When
is Abraham Lincoln’s birthday?

Abraham
Lincoln’s birthday is on 12 February. On this day this one of the greatest
presidents of America was born in Hodgenville, Kentucky.

When and How did Presidents Day Become a
Holiday?

When
and how did Presidents Day become a holiday has been a question for many. Here
we try to throw light on this.

We will discuss it from the very beginning to
the present day.

George
Washington was the first president of the United States of America. The
Americans celebrated his birthday as Washington Day to commemorate him.

Later
in 1832, a resolution was brought to bring the internment of the first
president’s body to the present-day Capitol Building in Washington DC.

In
1848, a monument was made to keep his memory alive.

More
than two decades later, Steven Wallace Dorsey, a republican member of the
senate, proposed that George Washington’s birthday should be declared as a
national federal holiday.

Later
in 1879, President Rutherford B. Hayes approved it as a holiday.

As
President Abraham Lincoln’s birthday falls on 12 February, a proposal was
brought to celebrate Washington’s birthday as the Presidents Birthday to
accommodate the birthdays of both these presidents. But Congress rejected this
idea.

Later
in the 1960s, Robert McClory, a Senator brought a proposal to observe important
bank holidays on Monday to get a long weekend and increase the productivity and
efficiency of the banks.

In
1971, Richard M. Nixon passed the Uniform Holiday Act. Through this act,
important holidays like Columbus Day, Memorial Day, Veterans’ Day, and
Washington’s Birthday were shifted to Monday.

The
Monday which was falling between the birthdays of George Washington and Abraham
Lincoln’s birthday was declared as Presidents Day.

Later
markets, malls and retail stores took advantage of the extended weekend to
announce their offers. It is how Presidents Day become a popular holiday. So
don’t get surprised to see the Presidents Day sales offer in your local
newspapers. People popularly call this weekend, the Presidents Day Weekend.

How
Presidents Day is Celebrated – Tradition

As
Presidents Day was originally started with the birthday of George Washington,
people savor cherry pie and other delicacies using cherry.

There
is an interesting history associated with the cherry. As per the stories when
George Washington was a 6-year-old child he got a hatchet as a gift. He used
this hatchet to cut a cherry tree planted by his father.

On
this day, George Washington’s farewell speech and lessons from his life are
discussed.

Presidents
Day is also celebrated with parades and festivities. People join with family
and friends to celebrate it.

People
go shopping to take benefit of several offers and benefits available on
groceries and furniture.

States
Not Observing Presidents Day

Presidents
Day is celebrated throughout the United States of America. But there are a few
states that don’t observe it. Delaware, Florida, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana,
Lowa, North Carolina and Rhode Island are the states that don’t observe
Presidents Day.

Who
Gets an Off on Presidents Day?

As
Presidents Day is a federal holiday, the employees working with the federal
government get an off. Several other state governments declare holidays for
their employees. The courts remain close on this day. To cash in on the long holidays
for employees, marketers announce Presidents Day sales.

What
Is Closed and What Is Open?

As
the United States of America will be celebrating Presidents Day 2022 on 21
February and you get an off from your office you might have plans to spend the
day in the most meaningful way. You might be looking for information about the
important places that are open and closed on this day. Here is brief
description about this.

Presidents
Day – What is Closed?

Most
schools, colleges and universities remain closed on this day.  Students and parents in doubt should visit
the websites of concerned institutions to check the status.

The
employees working with state government, local offices and federal offices also
get an off on this day as these institutions remain closed on Presidents Day.

Most
banks remain closed on the day, while banking services remain operational
through ATMs.

As
far as postal services are concerned the US Postal Service remains closed on the day and mail
services are not operational.

The
other important institutions that remain closed on Presidents Day are the New
York Stock Exchange and Nasdaq.  So, if
you are in the business of buying or selling stocks then you should plan
accordingly.

Presidents
Day – What is Open?

As
you have gone through the list of what is closed on this day, you might be
eager to know what will remain open on Presidents Day. Here is brief
information.

Most
of the shopping malls, shops, and retail stores remain open on this day.
Convenience stores, grocery stores and pharmacies also remain open on this day.
Online and in-store shopping options remain available on this day.

It
offers an excellent opportunity for shopping as retailers offer great deals on
shopping. So, if you have also got a Presidents Day weekend, then going
shopping would be a great idea.

Shipping and delivering services remain
operational on this day with a few exceptions.

Also Read

Fourth of July – Meaning, History, Significance, Trivia