Washington's Birthday

Not anymore, Jim. We used to celebrate Abraham Lincoln's birthday and George Washington's birthday separately.

Now they are both celebrated on President's Day only.

 

Yeah, I think it is ridiculous that they have done that. When I was in 1st grade we got a day off for both Lincoln's & Washington's birthday (or at least Washington's I can't remember).

 

I've been waiting for them to move the 4th of July to August! LOL

 

Here is a little factoid for us to ponder: we call Washington's birthday Feb. 22, 1732. But at the time it was called Feb. 11, 1731! England, a Protestant country, did not move to the Gregorian calendar until later in the 18th century, and had to make an 11 day correction in its calendar. And the year is different because at that time the new year was considered to begin on March 25, Annunciation Day! So celebrate whatever you like!

 

That's interesting.

 

A few years ago, they combined Lincoln and Washington's birthday to make room for Martin Luther King Jr's birthday. I believe that was the reason for the change...

 

I don't think so. I'm quite certain Washington's Birthday became Presidents' Day before MLK got his own day. And though Lincoln's birthday was marked on most calendars, I don't think it was even a true holiday-- at least not where all government offices close. But as for school, we did not have a day out for either. But I do remember after I passed the written tests to get a motorcycle license (Feb., 1975) I tried to make an appointment to take the driving test, asking for the next weekday, and they told me that was a holiday-- W.'s B'day, though even then I think it had been officially changed to Prs' Day.

And one more little story... I recall all the way back to kindergarten (in an Episcopal Day School), one teacher had a big book with pictures about Abe Lincoln and the famous log cabin and stuff and she brought in on (or near) his birthday, talking about all that, including that he has been dead for very nearly a hundred years. One kid in the class looked worried and he finally uttered, with quite a drawl, "If he's dead, how's he gonna eat his brithday cake?"

 

The month didn't matter--they did this to maintain a fixed number of paid holidays per year.

Here's snopes:

http://www.snopes.com/holidays/presidents/presidents.asp

 

I never got either off so I never worried about it.