Today we observe Presidents’ Day. It was originally started in the 1880s to commemorate the birth of our nation’s first president, George Washington, on his actual birthday, February 22nd. This federal and state holiday has gone through some changes over the years: being combined with Lincoln’s birthday for a hybrid observation and ultimately being moved to the third Monday of February under the Uniform Monday Holiday Act of 1968. The law amended certain holidays to be celebrated on a Monday to allow federal employees more three-day weekends. The bill went into effect in 1971 and then-President Nixon encouraged Americans to observe this day as a “holiday set aside to honor all presidents, even myself.” Today, many of us enjoy this as a three-day holiday weekend by participating in local patriotic parades and reenactments, doing community service, sleeping in or taking advantage of the various sales offered by retailers.