If you ask a dozen people when is George Washington’s birthday celebrated, you’ll likely get a chorus of "the third Monday in February." They aren't wrong. But they aren't exactly right either. It’s one of those weird American quirks where the date we put on the calendar has almost nothing to do with the day the man actually entered the world.
He was born on February 11, 1731.
Wait. No, he wasn't.
He was born on February 22, 1732.
If that makes your head spin, welcome to the chaotic history of British timekeeping. Back then, the British Empire—including the American colonies—was still using the Julian Calendar. The rest of Europe had mostly moved on to the Gregorian Calendar, which was more accurate. Eventually, the Brits caught up in 1752, but to fix the math, they had to "skip" eleven days and move the start of the New Year from March to January. Suddenly, George’s birthday jumped a year and eleven days. He lived through this change. Imagine waking up and finding out the government legally changed your birthday. Honestly, it's a miracle the man didn't have an identity crisis before he even fought the British.
The Federal Holiday vs. The Actual Date
The United States government officially recognizes the holiday as "Washington’s Birthday." You’ll see "Presidents' Day" on every mattress sale ad and car dealership flyer from Maine to California, but the federal law (5 U.S.C. 6103) still calls it Washington's Birthday.
Congress isn't always known for being fast. They didn't even make it a federal holiday until 1879. At first, it only applied to federal workers in D.C. because, apparently, everyone else just had to keep working while the bureaucrats stayed home. By 1885, it expanded to the whole country. For decades, it was always celebrated on February 22. It didn't matter if that was a Tuesday or a Sunday; that was the day.
Then came the 1960s.
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Lawmakers decided that people liked three-day weekends more than they liked historical accuracy. In 1968, they passed the Uniform Monday Holiday Act. This moved several holidays to Mondays to give workers a consistent break. This is why when is George Washington’s birthday celebrated shifted from a fixed date to the floating "third Monday."
One funny side effect? Because of how the calendar math works, the third Monday in February can never fall on February 22. It’s literally impossible for the holiday to land on his actual birthday. We celebrate him every year on a day that is guaranteed to be wrong.
Why Do We Call It Presidents' Day Then?
It’s basically a marketing fluke that stuck. When the Uniform Monday Holiday Act was being debated, some people—including Senator Robert McClory of Illinois—thought it was a great time to honor Abraham Lincoln too. Lincoln’s birthday is February 12. Since the new Monday holiday sat right between Washington’s and Lincoln’s real birthdays, it seemed logical to just bundle them together.
The thing is, Congress actually rejected that idea. They wanted to keep the focus on Washington.
But the public didn't care about the fine print. Advertisers realized "Presidents' Day" sounded much more inclusive and, frankly, better for selling refrigerators. Some states jumped on board and officially changed the name at the state level. Today, it’s a total hodgepodge. Alabama celebrates "Washington and Jefferson’s Birthday," even though Thomas Jefferson was born in April. Arkansas combines Washington with civil rights activist Daisy Gatson Bates.
It’s a mess. A very American mess.
Local Traditions and Real History
If you go to Mount Vernon or Alexandria, Virginia, they take this stuff seriously. They don't just do a "Monday sale." They have massive parades and reenactments. Alexandria hosts the oldest and largest George Washington Birthday Parade in the country. If you want to see people in tricorn hats shivering in the February wind, that’s the place to be.
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At Washington's home in Mount Vernon, they usually offer free admission on the holiday. You can see the Old Guard Fife and Drum Corps. It’s one of the few places where the question of when is George Washington’s birthday celebrated is answered with a week-long series of events rather than just a day off work.
The Significance of the "Old Style" Birthday
Historians often refer to his original birth date as "Old Style" (O.S.) and the new one as "New Style" (N.S.).
- Old Style: February 11, 1731
- New Style: February 22, 1732
The year change is the part that trips people up. In the Julian calendar, the year ended on March 24. So, February was at the end of 1731. When the Gregorian calendar moved New Year's Day to January 1, February became the start of 1732. George was essentially "born again" into a new year without actually moving an inch.
The Mystery of the First Celebration
People didn't start celebrating Washington’s birthday while he was leading the Continental Army. They had other things to worry about, like not starving to death at Valley Forge or getting shot by Redcoats. However, by the late 1770s, his birthday started becoming a thing.
The first recorded public celebration happened at Valley Forge in 1778. A band of musicians marched to Washington's headquarters and played for him. It wasn't a national party yet, but it was a sign of how much the troops respected him. By the time he was President, the day was marked with "Birthnight Balls" across the young nation. Washington, ever the stoic, reportedly found the attention a bit much, but he attended anyway. He knew the importance of symbols for a brand-new country that was still trying to figure out its own identity.
How to Celebrate Like It’s 1799
If you’re tired of the commercialism and want to mark the occasion properly, you could look at what people actually did in the 18th century. It wasn't about shopping. It was about community and, honestly, eating a lot of food.
- Cherry Pie? Not Really. The whole "I cannot tell a lie" story about the cherry tree was made up by a biographer named Mason Locke Weems. He wanted to make Washington look like a saint. There’s no evidence it ever happened. But hey, cherry pie is delicious, so eat it anyway.
- Toasts. In the early Republic, people would gather in taverns and give exactly 13 toasts—one for each of the original colonies. They weren't sipping water. This was a rowdy, loud celebration of liberty.
- Visiting Historic Sites. If you're near the East Coast, places like Valley Forge, Yorktown, or the various "Washington Slept Here" houses usually have special programming.
- Reading the Farewell Address. Since 1896, the United States Senate has a tradition where one senator reads Washington's Farewell Address aloud every year. It’s a reminder of his warnings about hyper-partisanship and foreign entanglements. It’s surprisingly relevant every single year.
The Evolution of the Date
We have to acknowledge that the way we celebrate has changed because our society changed. In the 19th century, Washington was treated almost like a deity. His birthday was a solemn day of reflection on the "Father of His Country."
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As we moved into the 20th century, the focus shifted toward a general appreciation of all presidents. This has its pros and cons. On one hand, it’s great to recognize the hard work of all the leaders. On the other hand, it kinda dilutes the specific achievements of Washington. He wasn't just "a" president; he was the one who set the precedent for everyone else. He voluntarily stepped down after two terms when he could have easily stayed for life. That’s the real reason he gets the holiday.
Why the Third Monday Matters Today
From a practical standpoint, the answer to when is George Washington’s birthday celebrated matters most to the millions of people who get a paid day off. It’s the first major break after New Year’s. It’s a peak time for ski trips and, famously, retail sales.
But if you look at the calendar for the next few years, you'll see the fluctuation:
- 2024: February 19
- 2025: February 17
- 2026: February 16
None of these are February 22.
If you want to be a history nerd about it, you should probably light a candle on the 22nd and maybe read a bit of his correspondence. He was a prolific writer. His letters reveal a man who was deeply concerned about the future of the American experiment. He wasn't a perfect man, but he was a monumental one.
Practical Insights for the Holiday
If you're planning around the holiday, keep a few things in mind. Since it's a federal holiday, the post office is closed. Banks are usually closed. Most government offices shut down. However, most schools and private businesses stay open, though this varies wildly by state.
- Check Local Charters: Some states, like Virginia and New York, have specific laws regarding the observance of Washington's Birthday that might differ from the federal schedule in terms of state-level closures.
- Travel Strategy: Because it creates a three-day weekend, traffic on the Friday before and the Monday of the holiday is usually a nightmare near major cities. If you're heading to a historic site, go early.
- Educational Opportunities: If you have kids, this is a great time to talk about the calendar shift of 1752. It’s a weird bit of science and history that most people don't know. It explains why some old records look like they have two years listed (e.g., 1731/32).
The reality of when is George Washington’s birthday celebrated is that it’s a living piece of history. It’s a compromise between honoring a founder, managing a modern workforce, and the quirks of an ancient calendar. Whether you call it Presidents' Day or Washington's Birthday, the day serves as a bridge between the 18th century and our lives today.
Next time you see a "Presidents' Day" ad, just remember: George would probably be confused why we’re celebrating on the 16th or 17th, but he’d likely appreciate that we’re still talking about him at all.
Take Action:
To truly honor the legacy of the first president, don't just settle for a day off. Visit the official National Archives online to read the original transcripts of Washington’s most important documents. If you are near Virginia, book a tour of Mount Vernon during the winter months; the crowds are smaller, and you get a much better sense of the isolation and grit required to manage an 18th-century estate. Lastly, check your local library for a copy of Ron Chernow’s "Washington: A Life" to move past the myths and understand the real man behind the holiday.