Monday, Feb. 15, 2016,
is the third Monday in February, which means it's Presidents Day, the country's
way or paying tribute to George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. Presidents Day
is a state and national holiday, so several services may not be open on Feb. 15
for those who are off enjoying the three-day weekend -- or gorging themselves
on Presidents
Day sales. Here's a guide to getting through your day off:
The U.S. Postal Service
will not deliver mail on Presidents Day and its offices will be closed. UPS
says all
regular services will be available Monday. As for banks,
most will be closed on Presidents Day. TD Bank and Wells Fargo banks list on
their website they will open but check with your local branch before heading
out. Presidents Day also means financial and stock markets will be closed.
Ditto for federal, state and local courts. All will close in observance of the
holiday. And, of course, schools are closed.
In New Jersey, the
state's Motor
Vehicle Commission's facilities and inspection stations will not be
open. In addition, all other state agencies will be closed to start the week. NJ Transit
will run a modified holiday schedule, so if you plan on taking public
transportation double-check the departure times on the agency's website. PATH
trains will operate on Sunday schedule. As for the history of the Presidents
Day holiday, here are a few things you may not have known:
For generations,
Presidents Day was celebrated as Washington's Birthday and observed on Feb. 22,
his actual birthday. The Father of Our Country was born in 1732. Presidents Day
has something in common with Memorial Day and Veterans Day. In 1968, President
Johnson signed the Uniform Holiday Bill, making specific Mondays
the official government holidays, creating automatic three-day weekends for all
three days.
