George Washington's Birthday
aka Presidents' Day
Third Monday of February or February 22

Originally, it was well known that this February holiday specifically honored the life and work of George Washington, the USA’s first president. The Father of our Country was born in Virginia on February 11, 1731, according to the then-used Julian calendar. (Wait, Washington was born February 11?)

About a quarter of a century before the Revolutionary War (1775-1783), Britain and all its colonies adopted the Gregorian calendar. Thus, it was in 1752 that Washington's birthday was moved to the date of February 22, 1732, a year and 11 days after the Julian date. Britain needed to embrace the Gregorian calendar like the rest of Europe.

After the death of the USA's first president on December 14, 1799, Washington--First in War and First in Peace--remained an important symbol for this fledgling country. He had served two consecutive terms as our president--from 1789 to 1793 and from 1793 to 1797.

In 1885, President Chester Arthur signed a bill making “Washington's Birthday” an official federal holiday.

Prior to President Arthur's bill, Washington's Birthday was already celebrated as a holiday in the District of Columbia in 1880.

Massachusetts was the first state to formally recognize Washington's birthday as an official holiday in 1856.  

The holiday was originally observed on the date of George Washington's birth--under the reckoning of the Gregorian calendar--February 22.

Actually, according to Donald N. Moran, the first historic record we have of a public ceremony celebrating Washington's birthday occurred at Valley Forge during the Revolutionary War. Moran explained that the Continental Army was replacing a popular holiday:

For the British Empire, one of the social events of each year was the King's or Queen's birthday.  This uniquely British tradition appears to have started with the famed "Trooping of the Colours" in 1661, then promptly crossed the Atlantic with the early colonists.

On the 4th of July 1776, the Continental Congress declared our independence from England.  This historic action made the celebration of King George III’s birthday an act of treason for the colonists - hence a favorite holiday was eliminated.  It wasn't long before the enterprising Americans found a substitute!  The Commander-in-Chief of the American Army - George Washington!

The first record we have of a public ceremony celebrating Washington's birthday occurred at Valley Forge.  Captain Caleb Gibbs, Commandant of the Commander-in-Chief’s Guard, made an entry in the 'Daily Headquarters Expense Book' on Washington's birthday for the participation of Colonel Thomas Proctor's 4th Continental Artillery Band.  The band was paid 15 shillings for their services, hence, it had to be for extra duty, beyond what would have been expected of them.

After the victory at Yorktown in October 1781, the public celebrations of his birth began in earnest.  In Richmond, Virginia, his birthday was observed with "utmost demonstrations of joy."  Observations were also held in New York State and Massachusetts.   In Maryland plans were made to make the celebration Permanent.  In February of 1782, the Count de Rochambeau hosted a birthday dinner in honor of General Washington, attended by the senior officers of both the American and French armies.

This is not surprising.  America needed an icon, and it was easy to replace the King with our National Hero.  Physically Washington was ideal for the role.  Benjamin Rush described Washington thusly: "If you do not know General Washington's person, perhaps you will be pleased to hear, that he has so much martial dignity in his deportment, that you would distinguish him to be a General and a Soldier, from among ten thousand people, there is not a king in Europe but would look like a valet de chambre by his side.”

By the time Washington became our first President, his birthday celebration rivaled that of the Fourth of July.  For America Washington was our National hero and honoring him was perfectly natural. 
--Donald N. Moran,  History of the Celebration of George Washington's Birthday Originally printed in the February 2000 Edition of the Liberty Tree and Valley Compatriot Newsletter found online in Historical Archives, accessed February 15, 2016.

That explained how the whole birthday tradition got rolling in the first place. Why did the fledgling country continue to honor Washington by celebrating his birthday with an official federal holiday? Ed Hornick offered a speculation from historian Doug Wead:

"In the earlier years, when it was celebrated, it [the birthday of George Washington] was more than celebrating his birth, it was celebrating what we liked about Washington: He walked away from power, a very poignant lesson for people," presidential historian Doug Wead said.
--Ed Hornick, What you may not know about Presidents Day, CNN,  February 15, 2016, accessed February 15, 2016.

In 1968, Congress passed the Monday Holidays Act, which moved the official observance of Washington's Birthday from February 22 to the third Monday in February.

Before 1971, Washington's Birthday was one of nine federal holidays celebrated on specific dates, which—year after year—fell on different days of the week (the exception being Labor Day—the original Monday holiday). Then came the tinkering of the Ninetieth Congress in 1968. Determined to create a uniform system of federal Monday holidays, Congress voted to shift three existing holidays to Mondays and expanded the number further by creating one new Monday holiday.
--C. L. Arbelbide,  By George, IT IS Washington's Birthday! Winter 2004, Vol. 36, No. 4

Nevertheless, the proposal to re-name the holiday  “Presidents' Day,” was rejected by Congress, and the holiday remained officially, "Washington's Birthday."

Eventually, the holiday began to be popularly known as “Presidents' Day.” However, neither Congress nor any President has EVER stipulated that the name of this holiday observed on the third Monday in February be changed to "Presidents' Day." (Over the years, I have frequently seen the popular name alternatively spelled “President's Day” or “President Day.”)

So how could--or should--an American Wiccan living in the USA celebrate George Washington's Birthday? First let me address the word should in that question. I am NOT claiming that American Wiccans should--or must--celebrate anybody’s birthday, including George Washington’s.

As far as I know, I am the only Wiccan who does anything on this this date--other than take advantage of saving a few George Washington bills by shopping at Presidents' Day sales in stores. If anyone does not wish to celebrate this holdiay, then s/he should not celebrate it. I believe in choosing the dates we commemorate so that we can connect with our past and look to our future.

So how could an American Wiccan, living in the USA, celebrate the secular holiday of George Washington's Birthday?

Suggestions for Parents:

If you have children, you may want to celebrate this holiday in order to underscore the importance of history—and acknowledging both the good and bad in history.

I seem to remember my mother, one year in the 1960’s, surprising the family with festive cookies for one George Washington's Birthday. When I was a child, I do remember trying to convince the adults around me that we ought to have a white icing birthday cake with red or blue flowers/stars and a single candle to celebrate George Washington's Birthday. Unfortunately, my creative concept was never met with much enthusiasm in our household.

Later as an adult working with kids, I often baked little cupcakes and covered them with white icing as part of a George Washington's Birthday learning activity. I had a bowl filled with red and blue sprinkles, into which the kids could dip their little cupcakes. I explained that we now had red, white, and blue cupcakes like the colors of the American flag.

We also sang happy birthday to George Washington. We likewise read picture story books about George Washington. I had a large version of the one dollar bill posted on the wall. I encouraged the students to draw their own portraits like Washington’s. These were posted on the bulletin board with the caption, "We Are All Future Presidents".

More Suggestions for Parents at Home:

If I was celebrating the holiday with my own children, our family would have lit a memorial candle upon a family altar.

I would have likely taken the opportunity to explain--over the years--about the historical role Washington played in the formation of the USA. I would have explained his role as a folk hero. I would explain that George Washington did not chop down a cherry tree, nor did he have wooden teeth. True, Washington did have a number of false teeth sets made in his lifetime, but they were made with  bone, hippopotamus ivory, human teeth, brass screws, and gold metal wire.  A few of these dentures contained some of his own teeth. (Historians know Washington retained several of his pulled teeth for use in his dentures within a locked desk drawer at Mount Vernon.) I could have even used this opportunity to stress the need of taking good care of one’s teeth. I would also share that Washington liked and raised hound dogs.

I would highlight different facts about Washington over the years. These likely would include:

• Washington was initially reluctant to accept a salary as President of the USA. He had previously refused payment as Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army and struggled with the ethics of receiving payment for public service. Washington's annual salary as President was $25,000. Yet it was not sufficient to cover the expenses of his Presidential household and at times he even had to pay expenses out of pocket.  
• I would share that George Washington was a Freemason. He became a member of Fredericksburg Lodge No. 4 in 1753 at the age of 20, and would serve as the master of Alexandria Lodge No. 22 in 1788. Five years later, while serving as President, Washington led the Masonic ceremony to lay the cornerstone of the new United States Capitol.
• While he served as president, George Washington never lived at the White House nor in Washington DC, although it was named after him.  New York City and, later, Philadelphia were the capitals of the USA during his presidency.  
• At 6 feet 2 inches tall in height and 200 pounds weight, Washington was a large man and an imposing figure.
• I would share that his favorite dishes included cream of peanut soup, mashed sweet potatoes with coconut, and string beans with mushrooms.

Suggestions for Adults with or without offspring:

I suggest those USA Wiccans and Neo-Pagans honor George Washington as one would any of the Mighty Dead, a folk hero or spiritual ancestor—according to your personal practice.

Beer was a favorite drink of George Washington. He particularly loved dark porter beer, which he would lace with molasses. However, he also drank whiskey, wine, cider, etc, as did many folks in 18th century America. Why not light a memorial candle and drink a beer? You don't have to put molasses in it.

Conclusion

In honor of George Washington, I raise my glass and say, "What is remembered, lives." Nothing is forgotten, nothing should ever be forgotten.

Copyright Monday, February 16, 2016, Myth Woodling, updated Monday, February 22, 2016, and on George Washington weekend, Saturday, February 16, 2019.

End Note:
1. I want to be fair to those who proposed the idea of officially renaming the third Monday in February as "Presidents' Day" in honor of Washington and Lincoln. George Washington was the “Father of Our Country,” but Abraham Lincoln was the “Great Emancipator,” and Lincoln kept our country together through the American Civil War and thus saved the Union. If you have studied the political climate and complexity of the history of the Civil War, you understand that accomplishment was no small feat either.

I also personally think the Civil Rights Movement, which began in the mid 1950’s and continued up through the 1960’s, may have influenced some people’s desire to honor Lincoln as the president who signed the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863. For example, the Civil Rights Act of 1968 was a landmark part of legislation in the USA which provided for equal housing opportunities regardless of race, creed, or national origin and made it a federal crime to “by force or by threat of force, injure, intimidate, or interfere with anyone … by reason of their race, color, religion, or national origin.”

George Washington
painting by John Trumbull
This image is in public domain.

Washington depicted as a Freemason in this 1870 lithograph
by Strobridge Company of Cincinnati, part of the Harry T. Peters
“America on Stone” Lithography Collection.  The letter "G" over Washington's head indicated he was a Grand Master Mason. The "G" marks the symbolic East, where the grand master of the lodge sits. As this image is
100 year old, it is  in public domain.

Sources:

C. L. Arbelbide,  By George, IT IS Washington's Birthday! Winter 2004, Vol. 36, No. 4, accessed February 15, 2016.

Ed Hornick, What you may not know about Presidents Day, CNN,  February 15, 2016, accessed February 15, 2016.

Ann Marie Imbornoni, Presidents' Day or Washington's Birthday? In 2015, Washington's Birthday falls on Monday, February 16 , Infoplease, 2000–2016, accessed February 15, 2016.

Legislative Archives, Birthday George Washington's Birthday, accessed February 15, 2016.

Masonic Lodge to Display Apron Owned by Washington, The State Journal, PO Box 11848, Charleston, WV 25339, Nov 17, 2011, updated Feb 27, 2012, accessed 2/22/2016

Ben Leibowitz, Every U.S. President's Favorite Drink, February 11, 2016, accessed 2/22/2016.

Donald N. Moran,  History of the Celebration of George Washington's Birthday, originally printed in the February 2000 Edition of the Liberty Tree and Valley Compatriot Newsletter found online in Historical Archives, accessed February 15, 2016.

Ben Shouse, When Is George Washington's Real Birthday? February 11, 2011, accessed February 15, 2016.

Time and Date AS,  Presidents' Day in the United States, 1995–2015, accessed February 15, 2016.

Interesting External Links:

Coven Oldenwilde, One Nation, Under Many Gods The Religious Beliefs of America's Founding Fathers --in Their Own Words, this page last up dated January 30, 2011, accessed 2/22/16.

George Washington's Farewell Address. In the midst of the Civil War, on February 19, 1862, President Abraham Lincoln issued a proclamation calling on Americans to mark Washington’s birthday. Lincoln “recommended to the people of the United States that they assemble in their customary places of meeting for public solemnities on the 22d day of February” to “celebrate the anniversary of the birth of the Father of his Country by causing to be read to them his immortal Farewell Address.”

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