Published on Monday, February 17, 2025
By the A.M. Costa Rica staff

Presidents' Day, observed on the third Monday of February, honors the birth months of two of the United States' most prominent presidents, George Washington and Abraham Lincoln.

The holiday now celebrates the birthdays and legacies of all U.S. presidents.

The U.S. Embassy and Consular Section, located in Pavas Canton, San José, will remain closed today in observance of Presidents Day. The embassy will reopen on Tuesday, with public hours from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Presidents Day is typically marked by public ceremonies in Washington, D.C., and across the United States. While many government offices are closed, many businesses hold special sales to celebrate the holiday.

The origins of Presidents' Day date back to the 1880s, when George Washington's birthday, February 22, was first observed as a federal holiday. At the time, Washington was revered as one of the most important figures in American history. National celebrations took place for events like the 1832 centennial of his birth and the start of construction on the Washington Monument in 1848

In 1968, Congress passed the Uniform Monday Holiday Bill, which moved several federal holidays to Mondays. The goal was to provide employees with long weekends throughout the year, but the change was opposed by some who felt holidays should be celebrated on the dates they commemorate.


During the debate, there was a proposal to rename Washington’s Birthday to Presidents' Day, honoring both Washington (born February 22) and Abraham Lincoln (born February 12). Although Lincoln’s birthday was observed in many states, it was never a federal holiday. Despite extensive discussion, Congress rejected the name change.


Following the bill's enactment in 1971, Presidents' Day became the widely accepted name, partly due to its use by retailers to promote sales, as well as its proximity to Lincoln’s birthday.


One of the most notable monuments dedicated to former presidents is the Mount Rushmore National Memorial in the Black Hills near Keystone, South Dakota, U.S.


The colossal sculpture, carved into the granite face of Mount Rushmore, features the 60-foot-tall heads of four U.S. presidents: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln. Sculptor Gutzon Borglum designed and oversaw the project from 1927 to 1941.

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