United States – Page 2 – The Chicago Files

[This is a repost (with a few tweaks here and there) of my annual “Family Day/Presidents’ Day” post].

Today is Monday, February 19th. 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 Ontario, Saskatchewan, and Alberta, there is a holiday called “Family Day.” This reasonably new holiday falls on the third Monday in February. Family Day is held on the second Monday of February in the province of British Columbia.

“Islander Day” is celebrated in the Province of Prince Edward Island. “Louis Riel Day” is held today in Manitoba. As for the remaining provinces of Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland, 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 stands for in celebrating. Is it a day like Mother’s Day where we send the President a greeting card (*biggest grin I can muster*?) No, it is actually the celebration of Washington’s birthday, the first President of the United States.

Why, then, is it called “Presidents’ Day” connoting more than one President? Was Washington more than what one assumed? No, it was President Abraham Lincoln’s birthday on February 12th. 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.”