Journal
Are you just as excited as we are for the long weekend ahead? This year is a special one; for the largest celebration in sheers numbers will be Chinese New Year, while others plan their Valentine's Day with their celebration (click here for last-minute ideas), and then there’s President's Day. Who knows, maybe you'll be celebrating all three, but does anyone actually give thought to what President's Day is? Well, if that’s you, keep reading to find out why you've been taking a break every third Monday of February each year.
The federal holiday was initially meant to celebrate our first president of the United States, George Washington's birthday on the 22nd of February. However, to make this into an annual long weekend celebration for everyone living in the country, the honorable day was officially assigned to the third Monday in February by the "Uniform Monday Holiday Act" in 1971.
Fun fact: President's Day never falls on the actual birthday of any American president.
George Washington, William Henry Harrison, Abraham Lincoln, and Ronald Reagan were all born in February. Ironically, however, all their birthdays are either a little too early or too late to land on actual President's Day!
Image sourced from pexels.com
Like any federal holidays, places including banks, schools, and post offices are closed for the occasion. The New York Stock Exchange and NASDAQ are also closed for trading - which probably gives more time for the members of Reddit WallStreetBets to make their next big move against those hedge funds – what a time. All jokes aside, President's Day is a time where we can salute those who have led America in the past. To pay your respects, here are several President's Day activities you can do (at home, of course) to celebrate on Monday:
1. A Day of Learning
Have you ever dreamt of becoming president or even an inspirational leader in any facet of work? Well, if President's Day does not give you the motivation to push yourself to infinity and beyond, then nothing will. While we don't want to sound like your old grade school teacher, we do want to suggest that you pick up a book (or your Kindle) and read something new and enriching. If American history is really not your thing, take the opportunity to read that book you always said you were going to read or take another look at that online course you’ve been putting off. After all, knowledge is power.
The only way we grow and move forward is by learning from the past. Without making mistakes, there won't be lessons learned. Whether you learn from your own experiences or read stories about others, enhance your knowledge and don't be afraid! The most successful people have learned from failure.
2. Embark on a Historical Journey (virtually)
Ok, we get it. We just told you to go and read a book. But if you prefer turning on the big screen, Hollywood has been great at pushing out historical films on our previous presidents. For example, the legendary Steven Spielberg made a movie on Abraham Lincoln, named Lincoln in 2012. Played by Daniel Day-Lewis, the film takes you on a journey through the president's struggles to abolish slavery and reunite the country during the Civil War. With the film receiving the Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role, you're bound to not only witness the impressive craft of Day-Lewis and Spielberg, but you'll get hooked into a biographical historical drama that covers the final four months of Lincoln's life. It's a good one.
If that’s not your bucket of popcorn, White House Down and Designated Survivor would be our recommendations to take a trip down the White House west wing with a more dramatic flair. It may not be physically possible to finish all four seasons of Designated Survivor in one day, but we guarantee you'll enjoy the thrill and suspense, which will get you pumped for work the next day.
3. Get PATRIOTICAL!
Are you feeling patriotic? Why not throw yourself a party!? It may be a small thanks to COVID-19, but who cares? A party is a party, and now you can celebrate however you want and not even care about any guests' needs. Dress yourself up in national colors, decorate the house and revel in the day off. Even your Joule matches the theme – we swear, this IS a coincidence. Either way, our JouleBARs are not going to let you down (unlike some presidents) and they’re even at a special price to match the month of celebrations.
Happy birthday Mr. President!