Celebrating the Third Monday in February
Posted on Feb 17, 2026 by Shari Van Baale
Last Monday was Presidents’ Day. A lot of people consider it just another day off of school during conferences or a weekend of big sales, but there is more to it than that.
What do you think of when you think of Presidents’ Day? I always thought it was celebrated somewhere between Abraham Lincoln’s birthday (Feb. 12, 1809) and George Washington’s birthday (Feb. 22, 1732) to commemorate two of the greatest presidents our country has known. However, lately it has become a day to celebrate all presidents. So what is correct?
According to Wikipedia, “Presidents' Day, officially Washington's Birthday at the federal governmental level, is a holiday in the United States celebrated on the third Monday of February. It is often celebrated to honor all those who served as presidents of the United States and, since 1879, has been the federal holiday honoring Founding Father George Washington.”
Wikipedia goes on to say, “Depending upon the specific law, the state holiday may officially celebrate Washington alone, Washington and Abraham Lincoln, or some other combination of U.S. presidents.”
In researching the day, I discovered that some states refer to it with a plural apostrophe (Presidents' Day), while others do not (Presidents Day).
As I may have mentioned before, I grew up in Illinois, the Land of Lincoln, so perhaps that is why a special commemoration was made for Lincoln. However, even within the state of Illinois, the commemoration differs. According to an AI search, “While often called Presidents' Day, Illinois officially recognizes the third Monday in February as ‘Washington's Birthday,’ which is a state-level holiday. … Illinois distinctively celebrates Abraham Lincoln's birthday (Feb. 12) as a state holiday, regardless of the day of the week. … According to the Illinois State Board of Education, some districts may observe the holiday as Lincoln's birthday on Feb. 12, or use a ‘not in attendance’ day for the third Monday in February.”
No wonder people are confused. For the state of Kansas, where we live, according to an AI search, “Kansas does not observe Presidents' Day as an official, paid state holiday. While it is a federal holiday, state offices in Kansas typically remain open on the third Monday of February, and it is not listed among the state’s legal holidays. … Despite the lack of state-level recognition, many local Kansas school districts choose to close in observation. … Some districts might hold class or use the time for teacher professional development.”
I found a good Associated Press article that summed it all up perfectly in its title, “How Presidents Day went from George Washington’s modest birthday to big sales and 3-day weekends.” It says, “The meaning of Presidents Day has changed dramatically, from being mostly unremarkable and filled with work for Washington in the 1700s to the consumerism bonanza it has become today.
For some historians the holiday has lost all discernible meaning.”
It goes on to say, “The official designation is as Washington’s Birthday, although it has come to be known informally as Presidents Day. Arguments have been made to honor President Lincoln as well because his birthdate falls nearby, on Feb. 12. A small number of states, including Illinois, observe Lincoln’s birthday as a public holiday, according to the Library of Congress. And some commemorate both Lincoln and Washington on Presidents Day. But on the federal level, the day is still officially Washington’s Birthday.”
So it seems there is no clear federal or even state designation for Presidents’ Day … or is it Presidents Day?
Shari Van Baale
Salem Communications Coordinator