今天(星期一)数以百万计的美国人放假一天，庆祝乔治.华盛顿的诞辰纪念日，尽管这个节日通常都称作是总统节。美国两个最受人们敬仰的总统的生日都在2月，一个是在1732年出生的华盛顿，还一个是在1809年出生的林肯。
这个假日最早是在1885年正式庆祝华盛顿2月22号的生日，华盛顿是美国第一任总统。美国第16任总统林肯被刺杀之后，美国有很多州也都在2月12号林肯生日的这一天庆祝他的诞辰，但是2月12号并不是一个联邦假日。林肯是在1865年内战结束几天之后被刺遇难的。
美国国会在1968年通过法案，规定2月的第3个星期一为正式的庆祝乔治.华盛顿的诞辰纪念日。但是美国人认为现在称作的总统节是共同庆祝华盛顿和林肯两位总统的诞辰。
Millions of Americans are getting a day off from work for the U.S. observance of George Washington’s Birthday, although the holiday is often referred to as Presidents’ Day. February is the birth month of two of the most respected U.S. presidents – George Washington (1732) and Abraham Lincoln (1809).
The holiday was first officially celebrated in 1885 to honor Washington’s birthday on February 22nd. He was the country’s first president. Americans in many states also celebrated Lincoln’s February 12th birthday after his assassination, just days after the end of civil war in 1865. But it is not a federal holiday.
U.S. Congress passed an act in 1968 that made the third Monday in February the official observance of Washington’s birthday. However, Americans consider what has become known as Presidents’ Day as a celebration to honor both Washington and Lincoln.