Today is Presidents’ Day – a holiday that was established in recognition of the great patriot George Washington. But when the Uniform Monday Holiday Act locked the date into the third Monday in February it fell between Washington and Lincoln’s birthday and many began to include both leaders in the designation. Today, it is technically seen as an acknowledgment of all United States presidents but in reality, it serves as a retailing marketing gimmick and chance for Federal workers to have the day off more than a meaningful commemoration of America’s executive leaders.
The irony is that while it began by marking George Washington’s birthday as the holiday, due to its fixed date it is impossible for it to fall on the actual birthday of any of the four presidents born in February (also Lincoln, Harrison and Reagan).
Does your organization have traditions or commemorations like Presidents’ Day that have lost their way through multiple iterations and attempts at meeting a plurality of needs? If you attempt to achieve many purposes with one event, it often diminishes the impact for everyone.
A Federal holiday on Washington’s birthday to honor our founding leader is quite different than an arbitrary February date that gives equal recognition to Chester Arthur, Millard Fillmore, Warren Harding and 42 others. Compacting elements together instead of giving each its due may be efficient, but it’s doubtful that efficiency is your ultimate goal.
