You woke up today, Saturday, January 17, 2026, and honestly? You probably felt like it was just another mid-January morning. Gray skies for half the country, the leftover holiday debt finally hitting your bank account, and that vague sense of "when is the next day off?" hanging over your head. But if you’re asking is today a holiday, the answer is a weird, layered mix of "yes," "no," and "it depends on where you live."
Technically, today isn't a federal holiday in the United States. That big one—Martin Luther King Jr. Day—is landing on Monday, January 19th this year. So, if you were hoping for a bank closure or a break from the mail delivery today, you’re out of luck.
However, looking at the calendar through a different lens reveals that January 17th is actually packed. It’s a day for inventors, for religious reflection, and for people who are already failing their New Year’s resolutions.
The Benjamin Franklin Connection
Benjamin Franklin was born on this day in 1706. Think about that for a second. We aren't just talking about a guy on a hundred-dollar bill. We're talking about the man who basically mapped out the Gulf Stream, invented bifocals because he was tired of switching glasses, and proved lightning was electricity while nearly frying himself.
In many circles, today is celebrated as National Benjamin Franklin Day. It’s not a "get out of work" holiday, but it is a massive deal for the scientific community and folks in the printing industry. Franklin called himself a printer first, even after he became a world-renowned diplomat.
Why does this matter to you? Because Franklin is the patron saint of the "side hustle." He was a polymath. He didn't wait for permission to start stuff. If you’ve been sitting on a project, today is the historically "correct" day to stop overthinking and just build the thing.
Why January 17th Matters for Kids (and Parents)
Since it’s Ben’s birthday, it’s also Kid Inventors’ Day. This isn't some corporate-made-up Hallmark event. It was specifically timed to Franklin’s birthday because he invented swim fins when he was only 11 years old. They were basically wooden paddles for his hands.
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If you have a kid who is currently tearing apart the toaster to see how it works, today is their day. There are actual grants and competitions, like the Invention Convention Worldwide, that highlight how young minds solve problems differently than we do. Adults look at a problem and see "budget constraints." Kids look at a problem and see "duct tape and LEGOs."
Ditching the Resolutions: The Dark Side of Today
Let’s get real for a minute. We are seventeen days into 2026. How are those gym visits going? How’s that "no sugar" thing working out?
Statistically, today is widely recognized by behavioral psychologists as Ditch New Year's Resolutions Day. It’s the day the willpower muscle finally snaps. The novelty of the "New Year, New Me" mantra has worn off, the endorphins from those first three runs have evaporated, and the pizza in the fridge is screaming your name.
Strava, the exercise tracking app, actually looked at millions of data points and found a specific date they call "Quitters Day," which usually falls on the second Friday in January. Since we’re on the third Saturday, we’ve officially passed the danger zone. If you’ve made it this far, you’re actually in the minority. If you haven't? Well, today is the holiday that tells you it’s okay to be human and reset your expectations.
International Flavors of January 17th
If you were in Italy right now, today would look very different. It’s the Feast of Saint Anthony Abbot, the patron saint of domestic animals and butchers.
In many Italian towns, people literally bring their dogs, cats, and even horses to the church to be blessed. It’s a chaotic, beautiful mess of barking and tradition. They also light massive bonfires (falò di Sant'Antonio). It’s a pagan-meets-Christian vibe that signifies the turning of the season.
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Over in Spain, they celebrate San Antón similarly. It’s a reminder that while the US focuses on work-related "national days," much of the world still operates on a liturgical and agricultural calendar that feels a lot more connected to the earth and our pets.
The Weird Stuff: Customer Service and... Popeye?
Believe it or not, some people mark today as the anniversary of the first appearance of Popeye the Sailor Man in the "Thimble Theatre" comic strip back in 1929.
And for the corporate world? It’s Customer Service Day.
It’s ironic, right? We celebrate the guy who punches people after eating spinach on the same day we’re supposed to be extra nice to the person working the return counter at Target. Life is weird like that.
Breaking Down the Weekend Holiday Logic
Since today is Saturday, the "holiday" status gets a bit murky.
- Banks and Post Offices: Open. They follow the Federal Reserve schedule.
- Schools: Closed (it’s Saturday), but many are prepping for the MLK Day long weekend.
- Stock Market: Closed. It’s the weekend, and it stays closed through Monday.
If you are a state employee in places like Mississippi or Alabama, you might see some offices closing early or preparing for local holidays. In some Southern states, MLK Day historically coincided with Robert E. Lee’s birthday (which is January 19th), leading to a complicated and often controversial "dual holiday" structure. While many states have moved to separate these or eliminate the latter, the mid-January period remains a time of significant historical reflection in the South.
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Why We Search for "Today's Holiday"
Honestly, the reason you’re looking this up is probably "search for meaning."
We live in a culture of burnout. We are constantly looking for a reason to celebrate, or more accurately, a reason to pause. When we find out it's "National Hot Pastrami Sandwich Day" (which, by the way, is actually last Tuesday, not today), it gives us a micro-permission to enjoy something.
Today is specifically National Bootlegger’s Day. It’s the birthday of Al Capone (1899) and the anniversary of the start of Prohibition in 1920. It’s a day that celebrates the irony of the law. We banned alcohol, and in doing so, we created the most profitable era for organized crime in American history.
The Takeaway for Your Saturday
So, is today a holiday?
If you’re an inventor, yes. If you’re a fan of 1920s gangsters, yes. If you’re an Italian farmer with a sick goat, definitely yes.
But for the rest of us, January 17th is a bridge day. It’s the gap between the pressure of New Year's and the solemnity of MLK Day. It’s a day to breathe.
Here is what you should actually do today:
- Audit your resolutions. If you’ve failed them by today (Ditch New Year’s Resolutions Day), don't quit. Just make them smaller. If you wanted to lose 20 pounds, just try to walk for 10 minutes today.
- Fix something. Channel your inner Ben Franklin. That leaky faucet or the squeaky door? Spend twenty minutes on it.
- Acknowledge the pet. It’s Saint Anthony’s day. Buy your dog the good treats.
- Prep for Monday. Since the federal holiday is Monday, use today to get your grocery shopping done before the "long weekend" crowds hit the stores tomorrow afternoon.
January 17th isn't going to give you a paid day off, but it’s a pretty fascinating cross-section of history, failure, and invention. Use it to reset before the real work week starts again.