Presidents' Day is the next federal holiday coming up, but the federal government doesn't call it that. According to the
U.S. Office of Personnel Management, the third Monday of February is celebrated as Washington's Birthday. While federal employees are off on the day, Congress has
never declared it a national holiday binding in all states, according to the National Archives. Here's what to know about the day.
When is Presidents' Day 2025?
The federal holiday known as Washington's birthday will be celebrated Monday, Feb. 17.
Is it Presidents' Day or Washington's Birthday?
Neither Congress nor the president have ever stipulated that the
name of the holiday observed as Washington's Birthday be changed to Presidents' Day, according to the National Archives. So while the federal government calls it Washington's Birthday, in many states, including Florida, it's recognized as Presidents' Day.
George Washington has two birthdays, sort of
Washington's Birthday became a legal holiday Jan. 31, 1879 , when Congress added Feb. 22 to the list of holidays to be observed by federal employees in the District of Columbia. Washington was born in Virginia on Feb. 11, 1731, but that date was based on the
Julian calendar . In 1752, Britain and all its colonies adopted the
Gregorian calendar , which
moved his birth date to Feb. 22, 1732 , according to the National Archives.
So why is it called Presidents' Day? What about honoring Abraham Lincoln?
The shift from Washington’s Birthday to Presidents' Day began in the late 1960s, when Congress proposed the Uniform Monday Holiday Act to create more three-day weekends for the nation’s workers. The Uniform Monday Holiday Act included a provision to combine the celebration of Washington’s birthday with that of
Abraham Lincoln , which is on Feb. 12. Ironically, by establishing the holiday on the third Monday of February, "this guaranteed that the holiday would never be celebrated on Washington's actual birthday, as the third Monday in February cannot fall any later than February 21," the National Archives said.
Is Presidents' Day a holiday in Florida?
No, or should we say, sort of. The third Monday in February is a
legal holiday in Florida, per
state statute , but is noted as Washington's birthday. Florida government offices will be closed. Additionally, public libraries, courthouses and schools will be closed. While federal offices, including
mail delivery and the
stock market will be closed , grocery stores, businesses, restaurants will be open and often promote special sales. Check for any modified hours.
When are 2025 federal holidays?
The next federal holiday after Washington's Birthday will be Memorial Day.
Is it Presidents Day, President's Day or Presidents' Day?
AP Stylebook prefers Presidents Day, but Chicago Style uses Presidents' Day. The
Merriam-Webster Dictionary refers to the holiday as Presidents' Day. Based on Google, folks are searching for it both ways. One thing is definite: it's Washington's Birthday on the federal calendar.
