Presidents Day: Interesting Facts About an Important Federal Holiday – Presented by Mark K. Lund, Financial Advisor in Utah

Presidents Day, observed the third Monday in February, has to be the trivia lover’s favorite federal holiday. For starters, the name of the holiday has no apostrophe. It’s for “Presidents” plural. While Mother’s Day is to honor your specific mother, and Father’s Day your own father, Presidents Day does not honor our current president, nor most of the 44 officeholders who came before him.

The holiday began as a celebration of George Washington’s birthday. And in fact, “Washington’s Birthday” is still its official name. “Presidents Day” is its popular name.

Here’s another interesting twist. Because of the 1968 law designating that the holiday be observed on the third Monday in February (to create a long weekend), it can never be observed on our first president’s actual birthday. Washington was born on February 22nd and the latest a third Monday can fall is the 21st.1

But odder still, according to official calendars, the day George Washington was born is not his birthday. How is this possible?

The National Archives explains: “George Washington was born in Virginia on February 11, 1731, according to the then-used Julian calendar. In 1752, however, Britain and all its colonies adopted the Gregorian calendar which moved Washington’s birthday a year and 11 days to February 22, 1732.” (The whole calendar switchover and the resulting “missing days” is a fascinating subject of its own.)

Like many of our national observances Washington’s Birthday was celebrated unofficially for many decades before it became a legal holiday. Congress first established it officially for the District of Columbia in 1879.

Abraham Lincoln, who was also born in February (02/12/1809), was unofficially added to the holiday as at least a dozen states began to celebrate “Washington and Lincoln’s Birthday.” And so, when we celebrate Presidents Day, it’s for these two presidents in particular.

Both were remarkable men whose presidencies were marked by self-sacrifice.

George Washington, by the end of his second term, was at the height of his popularity. But at this critical point in the life of the new republic he chose to step down, giving up the potential for dictatorial power.

Abraham Lincoln held the reins as the country plunged into the worst constitutional crisis imaginable: 11 of the 15 slaveholding states seceded from the U.S., leading to an armed conflict. While the fight was ostensibly about states’ rights, Lincoln with his Emancipation Proclamation made it specifically about slavery.2 It was like throwing fuel on a fire. In terms of its human toll, the Civil War became the costliest conflict in American history.

It’s important to remember that both men did their most important work for our country when their popularity was low—Washington as a failing general, and Lincoln as a president who told the brutal truth about what it might cost to end slavery.

We hope you enjoy Presidents Day, have a chance to amaze your acquaintances with the above trivia, and remember the lives of these two great men.

If you ever have any questions about your investments or retirement plans, please feel free to give me a call at 801-545-0696.

Regards,
Mark Lund
Stonecreek Wealth Advisors, Inc., A Financial Advisor in Utah
11576 S State Street, Bldg. 1002
Draper, UT 84020

Sources:
1. http://go.pardot.com/e/91522/egislative-features-washington/92sqc8/1815397678?h=lI6mqUttgo9pKW8jcTMJT8o9IUCG6AGKDPVh8lzpc0g
2. http://go.pardot.com/e/91522/presidents-washington-lincoln-/92sqcc/1815397678?h=lI6mqUttgo9pKW8jcTMJT8o9IUCG6AGKDPVh8lzpc0g

Disclosure:
This information should not be construed as investment, tax or legal advice and may not be relied on for the purpose of avoiding any Federal tax penalty. All information is believed to be from reliable sources; however we make no representation as to its completeness or accuracy. All economic and performance data is historical and not indicative of future results. Market indices discussed are unmanaged. Investors cannot invest in unmanaged indices. The publisher is not engaged in rendering legal, accounting or other professional services. If assistance is needed, the reader is advised to engage the services of a competent professional. This material was prepared by Efficient Advisors, LLC (“EA’) for Mark Lund, Mark is a Financial Advisor in Utah. He is known as a Wealth Advisor, The 401k Advisor, Investor Coach, Financial Planner, Investment Advisor and author of The Effective Investor. Mark offers investment advisory services through Stonecreek Wealth Advisors, Inc. a fiduciary, independent, fee-only, Registered Investment Advisor firm providing investment management and retirement planning for individuals and 401k consulting for small businesses. Mark’s newsletter is called The Effective Investor Newsletter. Cities served in Utah are: Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County, Utah County, Park City, Murray City, West Jordan City, Sandy City, Draper City, South Jordan City, Provo City, Orem City, Lehi City, Highland City, Alpine City, American Fork City. The views expressed herein are exclusively those of Efficient Advisors, LLC (‘EA’), and are not meant as investment advice and are subject to change. All charts and graphs are presented for informational and analytical purposes only. No chart or graph is intended to be used as a guide to investing. EA portfolios may contain specific securities that have been mentioned herein. EA makes no claim as to the suitability of these securities. Past performance is not a guarantee of future performance. Information contained herein is derived from sources we believe to be reliable, however, we do not represent that this information is complete or accurate and it should not be relied upon as such. All opinions expressed herein are subject to change without notice. This information is prepared for general information only. It does not have regard to the specific investment objectives, financial situation and the particular needs of any specific person who may receive this report. You should seek financial advice regarding the appropriateness of investing in any security or investment strategy discussed or recommended in this report and should understand that statements regarding future prospects may not be realized. You should note that security values may fluctuate and that each security’s price or value may rise or fall. Accordingly, investors may receive back less than originally invested. Investing in any security involves certain systematic risks including, but not limited to, market risk, interest-rate risk, inflation risk, and event risk. These risks are in addition to any unsystematic risks associated with particular investment styles or strategies.

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