What is closed on presidents day 2025 and why we celebrate the holiday

On February 3, 2025By Littum

Winter Doldrums got you down? Well, at least you have a three-day holiday saint to look forward to.

Presidents Day is a federal holiday celebrated every year in mid -February to honor past US presidents.

Here’s when we celebrate presidents day, and why:

When are presidents day?

This year, Presidents Day will fall on Monday, February 17, 2025.

The federal holiday is observed on the third Monday of February each year.

What are presidents day?

Officially known as Washington’s birthday, the first federal holiday of the year was originally intended to honor the country’s first president, George Washington.

According to the then-used Julian calendar, Washington was born in Virginia on February 11, 1731.

Eventually, the holiday included honoring President Abraham Lincoln, whose birthday is February 12th.

The position of the holiday between birthdays in Washington and Lincoln gave rise to the popular name of the presidents’ Day.

In 1885, Congress on February 22 appointed holiday for all federal workers. Almost a century later, in 1971, the uniform Monday holiday changed the law date to the third Monday in February, according to National Archives.

The uniform holiday bill required that three holidays, including presidents day, occur on Mondays to prevent the shutdown of the midweek and add long weekends to the federal calendar.

Why are we celebrating presidents day?

The country celebrated the basic father’s birthday long before Congress declared it as a federal holiday, according to National Archives.

Around the Centennial of Washington’s birthday, Congress created a joint committee to oversee festivities to honor the former president nationally.

On February 22, 1832, the Committee recommended Congress exposed to respect for Washington’s memory and in memory of his birth.

Promoted by a memorial from the mayor and other citizens of Philadelphia, commemorating the house and Senate 130 -Year anniversary of Washington’s birth by reading his farewell address aloud, according to the National Archives. Eventually, this event became a tradition in the Senate that is still observed today.

Washington’s birthday was not a legal holiday until January 31, 1879, when Congress added February 22 to the List of Holidays to be observed by Federal Employees in the District of Columbia. This was not a paid holiday for all federal employees until 1885.

What is open on the president day?

The post office, banks, the stock market and most schools will be closed on the day of the presidents. Most retail and grocery stores are open.

Who is out of presidents’ day?

Federal holidays are they the federal government observing so that anyone who works for the federal government Generally has the day off. Federal holidays can also be observed Monday or Friday if they fall for a weekend.

Other federal holidays include:

New Year’s Day (1 January)
Martin Luther King Jr. Day (Third Monday in January)
Memorial Day (Last Monday in May)
JunTEETH (June 19)
Independence Day (July 4)
Labor Day (First Monday of September)
Columbus Day (Second Monday in October)
Veterans Day (November 11)
Thanksgiving Day (Fourth Thursday in November)
Christmas Day (25 December)

Clare Mulroy contributed to this story.