On February 17th, Presidents Day is celebrated, an important date for all Americans, during which many businesses and government offices will be closed. If you have things to do or are simply planning to spend the day with your family, here’s a list of what will be closed this Monday.
Are banks open on Presidents Day?
Since Presidents Day is a federal holiday, bank branches such as Capital One, Bank of America, Wells Fargo, PNC, Chase, Truist, and CitiBank, among others, will remain closed on Monday, February 17th.
In addition, the Nasdaq, the New York Stock Exchange, and U.S. bond markets will not be operating today. Activities will resume as usual on Tuesday, February 18th.
Is the post office open on Presidents’ Day?
The United States Postal Service will also suspend operations this Monday, meaning no mail will be delivered. However, package delivery companies like UPS and FedEx will keep their branches open on February 17th.
It’s important to note that deliveries for UPS SurePost and UPS Mail Innovations will experience an additional business day delay due to the closure of the United States Postal Service.
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What is Presidents Day?
Although this holiday is sometimes misunderstood as a celebration of all U.S. presidents’ birthdays, it is not. Originally known as Washington’s Birthday, the holiday commemorates the births of former presidents George Washington and Abraham Lincoln, according to the National Archives. It was also the first federal holiday dedicated to honoring the birth of a person.
Why is Presidents Day celebrated on the third Monday in February?
George Washington was born on February 11, 1732, according to the Julian calendar, which was in use at that time. However, when England and its colonies adopted the Gregorian calendar in 1752, his birthday moved to February 22nd.
During his presidency from 1789 to 1797, Americans celebrated his birthday on both dates. In 1885, February 22nd was officially established as a holiday in Washington’s honor.
In 1968, Congress discussed the possibility of combining the celebrations of Washington and Abraham Lincoln’s birthdays, who was born on February 12th, into one holiday called Presidents’ Day.
However, legislators from Virginia, Washington’s home state, opposed the idea, and it was not approved. Despite this, that same year, Congress passed the Monday Holidays Act.
This law aimed to move most holidays to Mondays so Americans could enjoy occasional three-day weekends. Ultimately, the law took effect in 1971, and since then, Washington’s Birthday has been observed on the third Monday in February instead of February 22nd.
Is Presidents’ Day celebrated across the U.S.?
Although the date is recognized nationwide, not all states celebrate Presidents Day. For example, Virginia still refers to it as Washington’s Day, while Alabama calls it Washington and Jefferson Day. Montana, on the other hand, calls it the Birthday of Lincoln and Washington.
Public Holidays for 2025 in the United States
The U.S. government recognizes 11 federal holidays:
- New Year’s Day: January 1
- Martin Luther King Jr. Day: January 20
- Presidents’ Day: February 17
- Memorial Day: May 26
- Juneteenth: June 19
- Independence Day: July 4
- Labor Day: September 1
- Columbus Day: October 13
- Veterans Day: November 11
- Thanksgiving Day: November 27
- Christmas Day: December 25
