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How Presidents Day became a federal holiday
It's Presidents Day weekend! But do you know how this federal holiday came about?
The nation is celebrating Presidents' Day on Monday, Feb. 16, and this will mark the last federal holiday until May. And while most businesses will be open, others are closed.
Whether you’re planning an activity or need to take care of a few tasks, here’s what’s open and closed that day.
What’s open on Presidents' Day?
Dig deeper:
Most retail stores, malls, restaurants, and supermarkets are open. And movie theaters are also open if you’re off on the holiday and plan to catch a matinée or an evening show.
Pharmacies, like CVS and Walgreens, are open too, as well as doctors' offices and hospitals, although hours could vary. So it's advised to go online or contact your local pharmacy for store hours just in case.
FILE-The Lincoln Memorial is seen on an overcast Presidents Day, February 15, 2021 in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Samuel Corum/Getty Images)
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FedEx will have modified delivery and pickup services, while other services, such as FedEx Office stores, will be available as usual.
UPS will also operate at normal capacity.
What’s closed on Presidents' Day?
The New York Stock Exchange, Nasdaq, and other financial markets will be closed.
Banks and financial institutions will be closed, but ATMs and online banking services will be available. Consumers should check their bank’s website or call ahead to find out if it’s closed on a particular day.
U.S. Postal Service offices will be closed on Presidents' Day, so you will not receive your regular mail or packages. USPS Priority Mail Express will be the only service in operation.
Schools, colleges and libraries are also closed on the holiday.
What is Presidents' Day?
The backstory:
Presidents' Day is celebrated in the U.S. on the third Monday in February.
Former President George Washington’s birthday on Feb. 22 was the first federal holiday to honor an individual's birth date. In 1885, Congress designated the date as a holiday for all federal workers. Almost 100 years later, in 1971, the Uniform Monday Holiday Law changed the date to the third Monday in February – positioned between Washington’s birthday and Abraham Lincoln’s on Feb. 12. This gave rise to the popular name of Presidents' Day, according to the National Archives.
Presidents' Day is an occasion to recognize all U.S. presidents, past and present, though some people still call it Washington’s Birthday.
The Source: Information for this story was provided by the USPS, FedEx, Nasdaq, and New York Stock Exchange websites listing company holiday hours. This story was reported from Washington, D.C.