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It’s the third Monday of February and that means the nation is celebrating President’s Day. President’s Day, of course, is a day of remembrance for all the men who have stood for and represented the highest office in the land.

While all former Presidents are technically honored and commemorated, the day is probably most strongly associated with the two most iconic heads of state” our 1st President George Washington and our 16th, Abraham Lincoln.

Coincidentally, both had birthdays relatively close to each other, with Lincoln’s falling on February 12 and Washington’s on February 22.

For a long time, the day was simply celebrated as “Washington’s Birthday” and is still officially designated as such on the federal level. Still, recognition of the day was by no means uniform across the country. Celebrations of Lincoln’s birthday also took place sporadically in various states.

Interestingly enough, momentum for a unified holiday did not take serious root until the 1950s.  Eventually the Uniform Monday Holiday Act was passed as a Congressional measure in 1968. The act established several federal holidays that would all take place on a Monday: Washington’s Birthday, Memorial Day, Labor Day, Columbus Day and Veterans Day. Martin Luther King Jr. Day was later added.

The consolidation was seen as an easy way to give workers more consistent three-day weekends throughout the country while also boosting retail sales. The emphasis on the retail aspect has only increased, meaning many businesses now stay open to offer special deals in recognition of the day.

Discounts

Today, President’s Day is probably best known for car and mattress sales. Why are mattresses so strongly associated with the day? I have no idea. Drop me a line if you know.

But it does makes sense for retailers to concentrate on a three-day weekend with some distance from the traditional Holiday-shopping period.

In that spirit, PumpProducts.com is offering a $5 President’s Day discount on all purchases from today until Wednesday, February 22, 2017 (the date of Washington’s actual birthday). Buy a discounted sump pump and reflect on the history of President’s Day. Enter the code: “Presidents5” on all online purchases.