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By Diane Forrest
On
Monday we celebrated President's day, a "floating" holiday, since it
always happens on the third Monday in February.
This allows all government employees a long weekend, and alot of
businesses an opportunity to get some good sales advertised. Before President's day, we celebrated Lincoln’s
birthday, which was February 12th, and Washington's Birthday, which was
February 22. This makes me wonder why we
never celebrated the presidents in between those two. Well to cut down on all that paid time off, the
powers that be decided to combine the two, and include all presidents in the
President Day holiday.
Today
is George Washington's actual birthday, and he was born in Westmoreland County,
Virginia. This is near the site of Mount
Vernon where his family home is located, and where he lived til the end of his
life and is now buried there.
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There
are some states that continue to celebrate his birth and since 1862 there has
been a tradition in the United States Senate that George Washington's Farewell
Address be read on his birthday. Citizens had asked that this be done in light
of the approaching Civil War. The annual tradition continues with the reading
of the address on or near Washington's Birthday.
Washington
was not only the first president of the country; he is also the one who set the
bar. He did not want to start a
monarchy, but have the presidency, and keep a time limit. He moved the capital from New York to
Washington.
Today
we remember George Washington, and celebrate his birth by spending a few
dollars.
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