Today is set to be an AWESOME day for me. I have a paid day off at the bank. I get to hang out in new UC pajamas, drink pumpkin spice coffee, and re-watch a movie I have already seen a dozen times. Plus I get to meet Mom and Dad for lunch as they head home from a mini-vacation.
As much as I enjoy days like today, I should also take a few moments to remember why today is a federal holiday. It is supposed to be more than weekend sales and days away from school/work!
The third Monday in February has always been known to me as Presidents Day. I have a distant memory (or figment of my imagination) of being told during elementary school that President's Day is the day we celebrate both birthdays for both George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. Officially, the US Office of Personnel Management cites today as Washington's Birthday.
From what I can gather from a variety of online sources (yes, I'll admit--I did check wiki first) George Washington's birthday is actually February 22nd and Abe Lincoln's birthday is actually February 12th. I suppose for the purpose of productivity in the workplace, it is more economical to celebrate all the great presidents on one day as opposed to each of their individual birthdays. For the purpose of uniformity, it also makes sense to shift all of these days of celebration to a specified Monday in the designated month.
Washington's birthday is a day that has been celebrated in the United States for a long time--even before Lincoln took office! This little known tidbit explains (at least to me) why some sources cite today as Washington's Birthday as opposed to President's Day.
In addition to the two great presidents that we celebrate, I believe all of the presidents deserve an extra bit of recognition today. If you want more information, as I am definitely not a reliable source, please ask Google!
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To help you enjoy this day a little bit more, I'll share this entertaining video I found today. While it is educational, it is also quite entertaining! Enjoy!
44 Presidents rap song
For more entertaining and educational songs, please
visit EducationalRap.com. There you will find other
songs as well as alternate renditions so that you may
test the knowledge you may have learned! Have Fun!
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