Presidents' Day consolidation ruined kids' lives.

[MineralMan]

Sort of. When I was a kid in elementary school, right through high school, we had Lincoln's Birthday and Washington's birthday holidays. they weren't necessarily on Monday, either. What it meant to us was a day off from school, twice in February. Perfect. Christmas and New Year's Day were over, and it was a long wait for the next day off from school. So there were our two favorite Presidents with their birthdays. In February. February 12 and February 22 - 10 days apart.

Usually falling in the middle of the week, we got two days off. It was wonderful!

And then, in 1971, they spoiled the whole thing by combining the two days off into one day on a Monday. No more odd days off in the middle of the week for kids. Just another fake 3-day weekend. Bummer!

[jberryhill]

1. And then they got back a day at the end of January for MLK day

...which was not a holiday when you were in school.

[PTWB]

2. My kids don't have the day off from school today at all...

[Cold War Spook]

3. Not the only holiday.

Last edited Mon Feb 18, 2019, 03:18 PM - Edit history (1)

I joined the army on May 31, 1963. Back then Memorial Day was always May 30. Because of that, I got out one day earlier on May 29, 1967. Certain holidays should not be changed.

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

12. How did you manage to get out of the army two days before you joined?

Do you share your time machine with others?



I realize you actually have a typo in there, but I couldn't resist.

[Cold War Spook]

13. Thank you,

yes, I joined in 1963. I will edit it.

[Codeine]

4. Kids here in SoCal got a four day weekend.

Friday for Lincoln’s BDay and Monday for President’s Day.

[pecosbob]

5. Well, if you lived in the arctic regions of the U.S. you had snow days

Those of us from the Gulf Coast had storm watches...used to be good for a day or two every other year.

[MineralMan]

8. Kids in Minnesota still get those occasionally.

[Luciferous]

15. Now they have virtual days where they have to work on stuff at home on the computer.

[pecosbob]

16. Oh, that's right...

[DFW]

6. It was never a holiday here to begin with

So it's no skin off my back. It's just a day when I can't get anything done with the States. But we get the Friday before Easter and the Monday after off here--sort of a forced long weekend whether I want it or not. Spain even takes a whole week off then ("Holy Week," or la Semana Santa, though many businesses are not shutting down for a week any more). They had not be having any kind of religious holiday tomorrow, or I will be running down there for nothing but paella.

[Merlot]

7. The worst part about combiing the two days into "presidents day"

is the loss of history - no longer Washingtion's birthday, and Lincon's birthday, it's now just another generic day when mattresses go on sale.

[NurseJackie]

9. My boys enjoyed the "fake three-day weekends" when used the extra day...

... to spend time with their grandparents. Both my parents and my husband's parents lived out of state, and the extra day made the weekend trip a little more relaxing.

With the random middle-of-the-week days, we were unable to enjoy those family times together.

Just another fake 3-day weekend. Bummer!

Yeah. It's tough to be a kid. Life really sucks, huh?

[MurrayDelph]

10. Loved getting Washington's birthday off as a kid

February 22nd was my dad's birthday, so we'd get an extra family day together.

[Empowerer]

11. President's Day is always bittersweet for me

Because I know it's going to be long, dry, cold no-holiday spell until Memorial Day.

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

14. I likewise recall those two days off in elementary school.

Even though I graduated high school in 1965, I somehow don't recall getting them both off during those years. But I moved to a different state at the start of high school, and that may have been why. Different state, different set of holidays maybe.

I do recall the two days, especially when they were in the middle of the week, making the teachers crazy.

Personally, I think that when the non-moving holidays (July 4, Christmas, and New Year's) fall on a Saturday or Sunday, normal office workers should be out of luck on getting an extra day off. After all, they were off the holiday itself, so what's the problem? Most shift workers never get an extra day off for any of the holidays, and are not even very likely to get holiday pay for working the day. And most office workers are completely oblivious to the fact that a lot of people work nights, weekends, and holidays as restaurant workers, police officers, hospital employees, retail clerks, and so on so that they get to go out to eat, be taken care of if sick, can go shopping, and more.

[msongs]

17. oddly enuff in abilene texas lincoln birthday was NOT a holiday. hmmm. nt

[xmas74]

18. I'm a state employee.

I have both.

[crazycatlady]

19. When I was in school (class of 98) I had the whole week off