Federal Holidays

Everyone in a government job will tell you that the holidays rock. Granted, you still have to get your work done, there's no overtime, and it'll all be there when you get back, but there are a few days every year where we get an extended weekend. Some local city governments get other days like Cesar Chavez Day, Pioneer Day, etc., which is handy for meter parking.

Today is one of those days, my friends.

Yep. It's Presidents Day. (If you're working today, I promise that I will not enjoy the next three months as I wait for Memorial Day. And sleeping in is overrated.)

Here's what my research assistant (read: Wikipedia) tells me about Presidents Day.

• Officially, it is Washington's Birthday. It is popularly known as Presidents Day since it falls between Lincoln's and Washington's birthdays.
• Originally implemented by an Act of Congress in 1879 for government offices in the District of Columbia to honor George Washington.
• Expanded in 1885 to include all federal offices.
• On January 1, 1971, the federal holiday was shifted to the third Monday in February by the Uniform Monday Holiday Act of 1968.
• Since 1971, it never lands on Washington's actual birthday, February 22.
• Washington was born on February 11, 1731, based on the Julian calendar then in use in the British Colonies. When the Gregorian calender was adopted in the British Colonies in 1752, he opted to begin observing his birthday on the equivalent date of February 22, 1732.
• The holiday is also a tribute to the Washington as a General who created the first military badge of merit for the common soldier - The Purple Heart.

So, I hoped you learned something there. I learned all of those things from my research assistant Wikipedia.

I hope that you enjoy your holiday and enjoy the commercialism of no credit or down payment sales on mattresses and cars. Or be like me and just sleep in.