[This is a repost (with a few tweaks here and there) of my annual “Family Day/Presidents’ Day” post].
Today is Monday, February 16th. There is a holiday in the US and Canada (but not the same holiday across Canada. Please read on to find out what’s going on today in the US and the “Great White North”!)
Today, in the Provinces of British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Ontario, and New Brunswick, there is a holiday called “Family Day.” This reasonably new holiday falls on the third Monday in February.
“Islander Day” is celebrated in the Province of Prince Edward Island. “Louis Riel Day” is held today in Manitoba. “Nova Scotia” is celebrating with “Nova Scotia Heritage Day.”
As for the remaining provinces of Quebec and Newfoundland/Labrador, there is nothing. Well, there is something called, “Oh no, is it really Monday again, and we are back to work already?”
In the United States, today is “Presidents’ Day”. A few years ago, I had to ask what this meant when celebrating. It is actually the celebration of George Washington’s birthday, the first President of the United States.
Why, then, is it called “Presidents’ Day,” when it connotes more than one President? Was Washington more than what one assumed? Although the holiday was originally all about Washington, in 1971 it was expanded to include President Abraham Lincoln’s birthday (which is on February 12th). It now includes all U.S. Presidents! But wait, it gets even better than that!
Washington’s actual birth date was February 22nd! Oh, and let’s add some birthday cake confusion to the mix: In Indiana, December 24th is a state holiday called “Washington’s Birthday.”
Confused yet? I sure am. I can’t imagine how President Washington would feel knowing he was getting twice as old each year in Indiana! *grin*
Ah, the antiquated preponderance of such ‘states’ of confusion, as it were.
Wherever you are today, whether you are celebrating a holiday or whether it’s simply another Monday, I’m sending some positive energy your way!
The Chicago Files 