When I was growing up in St. Louis, we celebrated George Washington’s Birthday on February 22 (we did that because that was the day on which he was born, and it was his birthday) and Abraham Lincoln’s birthday on February 12 (for the same reason). Honestly, I don’t remember what we did on either of those days – were schools closed? did the buses run on Sunday schedules? I don’t remember (and that would take a lot of research – like finding other people my age to ask).

But in 1968, Congress passed the Uniform Monday Holiday Act, which moved Washington’s birthday to the third Monday in February, moved Memorial Day to the fourth Monday in May, and created Columbus Day, a federal holiday celebrated on the second Monday in October (and yes, it is still Columbus Day, not Indigenous People’s Day). It also moved Veteran’s Day from November 11 to the second Monday in November, but this was reversed some time later.

So, today being the third Monday in February, February 19 this year, this is George Washington’s Birthday, a federal holiday. Don’t be confused and think that this is President’s Day (or Presidents’ Day or Presidents Day), because this is George Washington’s Birthday federal holiday – no matter what virtually everybody calls it.

Now you note that today is not George Washington’s Real Birthday Day, which would be this coming Thursday. But here’s something you may never have realized: George Washington’s Birthday never falls on George Washington’s birthday. The third Monday in February has never been and cannot ever be February 22. By the way, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day – which is not called Martin Luther King, Jr. Birthday – which falls on the second Monday of January can fall on Martin Luther King, Jr.’s actual birthday, the 15th; it did this year.

Having said all of this, there are state holidays in all of the states (and DC, of course), as well as federal holidays. And every state now celebrates George Washington’s Birthday on the third Monday in February – coincident with the federal holiday. But……..

In some states, like my native Missouri, Lincoln’s birthday is still a state holiday celebrated on his actual birthday, and not on a moveable Monday date, like Washington’s.

And – believe it or not – as a state holiday, today in Alabama and Mississippi, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day is called Martin Luther King, Jr. – Robert E. Lee Day? I don’t know what the public perception is, but this is its official title. And in Alabama, one of the states where Lincoln’s birthday is not recognized as a state holiday, the third Monday of February is celebrated not only in honor of George Washington, but also as Thomas Jefferson Birthday Day. This even though Thomas Jefferson was born in April. Alabama also still has a state holiday commemorating the birthday of Jefferson Davis, and another holiday, in April, titled Confederate Memorial Day. Again, I have no idea how these days are recognized or celebrated.

Back to George Washington’s Birthday: It is celebrated as a state holiday in every state, but……(1) ten states call it Presidents’ Day, leading one to conclude that it celebrates more than one president, (2) eight states call it President’s day, a somewhat more ambiguous title, (3) two states call it Presidents Day, leaving out the apostrophe altogether, and making it clear that more than one president, and perhaps all, are being honored, (4) Maine calls it Washington’s Birthday/President’s Day, (5) Arizona calls it Lincoln/Washington Presidents Day, (6) Virginia calls it George Washington Day, (7) ten states call it Washington’s Birthday, (8) four other states use varying titles that include Washington and Lincoln, (9) Alabama, as we know, celebrates George Washington/Thomas Jefferson Birthday (Birthday is singular), (10) in Arkansas it’s George Washington Birthday/Daisy Bates Day (Bates was involved in integrating Central High in Little Rock, (11) California has no state holiday, apparently, (12) Delaware somehow doesn’t even celebrate the federal holiday, and (13) New Mexico, Georgia and Indiana have state holidays celebrating presidents in totally different parts of the year.

Eight states, by the way, do celebrate Lincoln’s Birthday on February 12 with a state holiday. None of those states are states which were part of the Confederacy.

Go figure.

In the meantime, of course, retailers everywhere (I think) offer presumed bargain sales on President’s, Presidents’ or Presidents Day, each term being used interchangeably. Is your head now spinning? It’s a perfect day to honor your favorite president by buying a presidential bobble head. Does anyone know where I can find a James Polk?