Presidents’ Day Your Way
Presidents’ Day is tomorrow, and it’s more than appliance sales and a day off from work and school. This year, dig deeper into the spirit of the day by connecting with the history of the American presidency – trust us, it’ll be interesting!
Presidents’ Day began as a celebration of George Washington’s birthday, but was swept up by the Uniform Monday Holiday Act of 1968 and as a result is now observed on the third Monday in February – ironically ensuring that it will never again fall on February 22, Washington’s actual birthday, nor on the birthdays of the other three presidents who were born in February. This loosening of the ties to its original meaning has actually given the day a broader significance, so you can explore and honor the lives of all those who have held the highest office in this country.
There are no big local events happening on Presidents’ Day, but if your family would like to get out and DO something, check out the Arizona Biltmore. Every president from Hoover to Obama was a guest at the Arizona Biltmore; Ronald and Nancy Reagan even celebrated their honeymoon there! The Biltmore offers a Legendary History Tour on certain days (tomorrow is NOT among them), but it might be fun (and will definitely be cheaper) to walk around the grounds and talk about the very important people who walked there before you.
There are also some really interesting ways to explore Presidents’ Day from your own home! You can spend some time exploring the Smithsonian’s online exhibit The American Presidency: A Glorious Burden. Click through a brief overview of each president and check out the “Era Related to this President” and “Objects Related to this President” that pop up under each one. There are digital pictures and info plaques for each object that is housed in the physical exhibit, like Bill Clinton’s saxophone, Herbert Hoover’s fishing reel, and the table and chairs used when Robert E Lee surrendered to Ulysses S Grant at Appomattox courthouse. The site is organized in a non-linear way that encourages you to explore it like a real museum exhibit, following your curiosity wherever it leads you. So poke around and see what you find!
If you’d like to challenge yourselves, your family can take the Presidents’ Day Quiz on CNN’s website. It’s only ten questions long, but they are very challenging questions, and while the adults in your family may have read more history books, the kids may have learned American history more recently, so who knows who will have more of the answers! Jen’s family took this quiz together and feel their 7/10 was well-earned...so let us know if your family can top it!
Whatever else you choose to do (even if it includes shopping for discounted appliances), spend some time reflecting on the day with the young people in your life. Depending on their ages, you might talk about what the president’s job is, or what kind of qualities a president should have, or maybe even what we can learn about our country and ourselves by the people we’ve chosen to lead us. Share your family’s thoughts (and your quiz scores!) with us on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram!
