Presidents' Day in the US and how it got its name

Federal holiday technically still called Washington's Birthday

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  Four former US presidents Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton, Barack Obama and George W Bush pose for a photo. AP

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  Mount Rushmore National Memorial is a massive sculpture carved into the Black Hills of South Dakota. Completed in 1941 the sculpture's granite faces depict US presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln. Photo by Yohan Marion on Unsplash

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  The Washington Monument is an obelisk within the National Mall in Washington, DC, built to commemorate George Washington, once commander-in-chief of the Continental Army in the American Revolutionary War and the first president of the US, for which President's Day originated. Photo by Yohan Marion on Unsplash

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  George Washington's home of Mount Vernon in Virginia, has played host to dignitaries from around the world including Prince Charles, their Majesties King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia of Spain, many US former presidents and most recently, President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden. Photo by Matt Briney on Unsplash

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  George Washington's half-brother Lawrence inherited the Little Hunting Creek Plantation from his father in 1743. Lawrence change the name of the estate to Mount Vernon after Admiral Edward Vernon, his old commander from the British Navy. Photo by Matt Briney on Unsplash

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  One of the most striking spaces in George Washington's home, Mount Vernon, the dining room is part of the original house, built in 1734. Photo by Matt Briney on Unsplash

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  Mount Vernon: In 1785 striking verdigris-green paint was added. George Washington believed the colour to be “grateful to the eye" and less likely than other colors to fade; an overcoat of glaze further intensified the colour. Photo by Matt Briney on Unsplash

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  Mount Vernon: This elegant room was a public space where visitors enjoyed the Washington family's company. Tea and coffee were customarily served here during the winter and on rainy days, and many parlour games were played. Photo by Matt Briney on Unsplash

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  Mount Vernon: When George and Martha Washington returned home from the presidency, they decided to convert what had been a first-floor bedchamber into a family parlor and music, thus allowing more space for informal entertaining. It is now known as the "Little Parlour". Photo by Matt Briney on Unsplash

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  Mount Vernon: The New Room’s high ceilings and two exterior doors also provided much-needed cross-ventilation when the Washingtons entertained during the warm summer months. Photo by Gavin Ashworth

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  A US federal holiday, President's Day, which is actually George Washington's birthday, is celebrated on the third Monday in February. Photo by Adam Nemeroff on Unsplash

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  The statue of George Washington on horseback can be found in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Photo by Sam Sweeney on Unsplash

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  George Washington was the US first president. Photo by Ben Noble on Unsplash

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  This statue of George Washington is on the grounds of the United States Military Academy, West Point, New York, US. Photo by Dave Lowe on Unsplash

Monday is Presidents' Day in the US, with many private businesses, banking institutions and the federal government closed.

The holiday dates back to 1879, when the US government made George Washington's birthday of February 22 a federal holiday in honour of the nation's first president.

In 1968, the US Congress changed the law so the holiday always falls on the third Monday of February.

Officially, the holiday is still called Washington's Birthday.

Over time, it has colloquially morphed into Presidents' Day, with some historians saying it should also recognise Abraham Lincoln, whose birthday was February 12.

Some federal agencies, including the National Weather Service, continue to refer to Presidents' Day as Washington's Birthday.

For millions of Americans, federal holidays come as a welcome opportunity to earn some overtime or to take a day off.

Federal law does not require private employers to give their workers any paid time off. Most private companies offer some paid leave, but allowances are often minimal compared to other countries. In the UAE, people get about 30 days off.

Presidents' Day has also drawn some controversy as America re-examines its troubled past, with some asking whether schoolchildren should be taught more nuanced histories of the country's former presidents.

The statue of the sixteenth US president, Abraham Lincoln, sculpted by Daniel Chester French and carved by the Piccirilli Brothers, is seen at the Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall in Washington, DC. EPA