Presidents Day originally celebrated the birth of George Washington. Photo: Robert Scarth/Flickr
Presidents Day is correctly known as George Washington's Birthday and was first established to commemorate the birth of the first president of the United States. However, in 1971 when President Richard Nixon essentially combined the observances of George Washington's birthday (February 22) and Abraham Lincoln's birthday (February 12) into one national holiday, the day became known as Presidents Day.
Presidents Day, or George Washington's Birthday, is a federal holiday in the United States. In addition, some states observe the day as a state holiday as well. Like many holidays in the United States, Presidents Day has evolved into a shopping occasion with retail stores and car dealers marking the holiday with promotions and sales.
