You Know It As Presidents Day

Holiday: George Washington's Birthday

Date: February 21, 2011

History: George Washington's Birthday, which is actually February 22 (same as Bridget's Birthday), is a United States federal holiday. It is celebrated the third Monday of February. Commonly known as Presidents Day, it is officially celebrated in honor of George Washington, the first President of the United States of America. George Washington's Birthday is one of eleven permanent holidays established by Congress.

Interesting Fact: Although originally celebrated on February 22, the Uniform Monday Holiday Act placed the holiday sometime between February 15 and 21. Ironically, it is never actually celebrated on Washington's Birthday.

For more information, visit http://www.archives.gov/legislative/features/washington/

V-Day (Courtesy of Robbie)

Holiday: Saint Valentine's Day
Date: February 14, 2011
History: The history of Valentine's Day is a little ambiguous. This annual commemoration is named after one or more early Christian martyrs named Valentine. In the early days, romance and love were not linked to Saint Valentine's Day. It was during Chaucer's time that this day first became associated to love and romance.
Interesting Fact: Approximately 85 percent of all Valentines are purchased by women. In addition to the United States, Valentine's Day is celebrated in Canada, Mexico, the United Kingdom, France and Australia.

For more information, visit http://www.history.com/topics/valentines-day

For the best Valentine's Day song ever (as well as one of the best bands on the planet), we recommend you check out http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nvWoSGGd90w

Solomon's Day

Good ol' Sol. When we first mentioned The Holiday Tree birthday shout outs to him, Solomon automatically assumed he was getting the whole tree to himself for his big day. Subsequently, he told us that this would "make all [his] dreams come true." So in light of realizing dreams... here is your tree, Sol.

You can always count on Solomon to be fully stocked with laffy taffy (as well as the cheesy jokes that accompany them), plenty of good things to say about himself and financial advice. Happy Birthday Solomon!

Gregg's Day

Gregg is great. Seriously. They do not come much better than this man. A few facts about Gregg:

• He makes a mean brisket
• He is a dancing fool (but you've got to watch those wandering hands)
• He will do anything for anyone (even when he probably shouldn't)
• His dog (good old Gunnar) is something to behold
• Although he can't quite kick his Texas-boy drawl, his love for Idaho is contagious

Happy Birthday Gregg! Here's to another trip around the sun.

Emily's Day

Happy Birthday Em! Here is your birthday shout-out. For those of you who don't know Emily, you're really missing out. But here is a little, real-life story for you:

A group of us were paying for pizza before heading to the Tom Petty concert at the Gorge. Em was up first to pay and she inquired as to the maximum amount of cash back she could get since she needed $60. The lady at the cash register did not know, so she called the manager to find out. After we discovered that the maximum was way over $60, Em continued paying. As she finished up her transaction, the lady at the cash register handed Em her "cash back." She said (in a rather disgusted voice--understandably), "Here is your sixty cents ma'am." Instead of 60 dollars, Emily had typed 60 cents into the machine! Needless to say, much laughter ensued. It took us a while to recover from that one.

Thanks for the great times Em! We wish you the best today.

Ted's Day

For some people, birthdays are like mini holidays. So in honor of these mini holidays, we will be posting a shout-out to our friends on their special day. They also get their day on the holiday tree. First up: our friend Ted. Our favorite things about Ted include his accent, obsession with music and something we call "Ted-isms" (e.g. "Dance your wheels off," "Makin' sweet eyes at her" and "Is this guy worth a hoot?").

Happy Birthday Ted!

MLK Day

Holiday: Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
Date: January 17, 2011
History: MLK Day is a United States federal holiday marking the birthday of Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. First observed in 1986, January 17, 2011, is the 25th anniversary of this holiday. MLK Day is observed on the third Monday of January; this is in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr.'s birthday, which is on January 15.
Interesting Fact: The Japanese city of Hiroshima and the City of Toronto are two places outside the US where MLK day is observed.

For more information, visit http://mlkday.gov