With the Impeachment, the finger-pointing, and continuous grumbling going on I thought of not even acknowledging that today is “President’s Day” until I did a little research and realized that today, in fact, is not even “President’s Day” at all but a new day all together that we have morphed over time. I love useless trivia I can tell you all kinds of random things that no one else knows. (I get that from my Dad.) You don’t want to play me in Trivial Pursuit. And yet I am not sure this is useless trivia as much as it is part of our history. Today is officially Washington’s Birthday.

Presidents’ Day is a federal holiday celebrated on the third Monday in February; Originally established in 1885 in recognition of President George Washington, the holiday became popularly known as Presidents’ Day after it was moved as part of 1971’s Uniform Monday Holiday Act, an attempt to create more three-day weekends for the nation’s workers. While several states still have individual holidays honoring the birthdays of Washington, Abraham Lincoln, and other figures, Presidents’ Day is now popularly viewed as a day to celebrate all U.S. presidents, past and present.

Kind of a bummer for George. Everything he went through and his celebration was changed for convenience. And in addition to that in the state of Illinois “The Land of Lincoln,” only state workers are off on February 12th and everyone is off on President’s Day. No more double- dipping for the kids in Illinois to honor Washington and Lincoln BUT they will have Pulaski Day off. I did not grow up in Illinois. I don’t know who this person is. Sad thing is my children grew up in Illinois and they don’t really know who he is either they just know they didn’t have to go to school.

A group of people decided that we would celebrate all Presidents on this particular Monday in February. On the originally holiday – Washington’s Birthday – they would eat cherry pie because of the old tale of him cutting down the cherry tree. I thought this whole thing was a little strange and yet with today’s events, why wouldn’t a group of people change a holiday that honored one person into a holiday that honored all of the people who held the title President? So get your cherry pie ready (well not me, I think cherry pie is gross) and celebrate all of the Presidents (or the ones you really like – I like Teddy Roosevelt what a character!) and enjoy your day off. You can’t predict whether we will have it again next year or not.