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President's Day
 The
original version of President's Day was in commemoration of George
Washington's birthday in 1796 (the last full year of his presidency).
Washington, according to the calendar that has been used since the mid-18th
century or longer, was born on February 22, 1732. According to the old
style calendar in use back then, he was born on February 11. At least
in 1796, as many Americans celebrated his birthday on the 22nd as did on the
11th.
By the early 19th century, Washington's Birthday had taken
firm root in the American experience as a bona fide national holiday.
Its traditions included Birthnight Balls in various regions, speeches and
receptions given by prominent public figures, and revelry in taverns (where
else?) throughout the land. Nearly a century later came Abraham
Lincoln, another revered president and fellow February baby (born on the
12th of the month). The first formal observance of his birthday took
place in 1865, the year after his assassination, when both houses of
Congress gathered for a memorial address. While Lincoln's Birthday did not
become a federal holiday such as George Washington's did, it did become a
legal holiday in several states.
 In
1968, legislation (HR 15951) was enacted that affected several federal
holidays. One of these was Washington's Birthday, the observation of
which was shifted to the third Monday in February each year whether or not
it fell on Feb. 22. This act, which took effect in 1971, was designed
to simplify the yearly calendar of holidays and give federal employees some
standard three-day weekends in the process.
Apparently, while the holiday in February is still officially known as
Washington's Birthday (at least according to the Office of Personnel
Management), it has become popularly (and, perhaps, in some cases legally)
known as "President's Day." This has made the third Monday in February
a day for honoring both Washington and Lincoln, as well as all of the other
men who have served as president.
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