Presidents day

Is the Post Office Open on Presidents Day 2017?

February 15, 2017 By Amanda Blankenship 3 Comments

Washington’s Birthday and Presidents’ Day are both celebrated on the same day. Annually, the holiday falls on the third Monday of February. This year, the federal holiday lands on February 20. Because it is a federal holiday, it has many people questioning, “Are the post offices open on Presidents’ Day?”

In the United States, federal holidays aren’t national holidays. So, when it comes to what is open and what is closed on federal holidays, there can be a significant amount of confusion. Federal holidays generally only apply to federal workers. Not everyone gets the day off. Many small businesses decide whether or not they want to observe the holiday. The United States Postal Service, however, is a part of the federal government. Therefore, USPS will be closed in observance of Presidents’ Day.

Is the post office open on Presidents’ Day?

No, the post office is closed on Presidents’ Day. USPS observes Presidents’ Day and all post offices across the country will be closed on February 20. Mail service won’t be active and no letters or packages will be delivered to your home or business through the standard mail.

Is the post office open on the day before Presidents Day?

No, the post office is not open on the day before Presidents Day. Like every year, Presidents Day is on a Monday making the day before a Sunday. Post offices are not open on Sundays, so there will be no mail delivered, etc. Many people may need mail something around Presidents Day (or soon after). If this is the case you will need to schedule delivery for Saturday or Tuesday instead of Sunday. Mail will be delivered as it would be on any other typical Saturday. If your local post office has Saturday hours, it will also be open for business on the day before Presidents Day.

While the USPS will be closed February 19 and 20 over the Presidents’ Day weekend, it still may be possible for you to take advantage of basic postal services. Most post offices have postal machines installed inside for people to weigh packages, letters and other mail items in order to get the correct postage to send their items on their way. A majority of the time these services are available even when the post office is closed. Obviously, these services may differ based on your local branch. If you’re wondering if your local P.O. offers these services, call and check.

Those who need to send a letter or package on Saturday or Sunday and don’t have access to a self-serve postal machine, FedEx or UPS may be an option.

Is Federal Express (FedEx) open on Presidents’ Day?

Yes, FedEx is open on Presidents’ Day. FedEx doesn’t observe Presidents’ Day. They operate on February 20 as they would on any typical Monday, with all pickup and delivery services available on that day. FedEx offices will be open as well.

Is United Parcel Service (UPS) open on Presidents’ Day?

Yes, UPS is open on Presidents’ Day. While UPS does recognize Presidents’ Day, it doesn’t observe it. The company will run under its normal Monday schedule on February 20, and will deliver and pick up packages as usual. UPS stores will be open for business

Photo: Flickr: Randy Robertson

President’s Day in November?

November 25, 2015 By Guest Writer Leave a Comment

Friday will be filled with shopping and leftovers for many people. Black Friday deals will be all some people can think about, and many of them had to take a day off to shop. However, some states have paid state holidays that day, and it is not because of Black Friday. In fact, New Mexico celebrates something the majority of people in the United States celebrate in February the day after Thanksgiving.

President’s Day is an American holiday celebrated on the third Monday in February, unless you live in New Mexico. The Land of Enchantment observes the holiday on the day after Thanksgiving. Originally established in 1885 in recognition of President George Washington, it is still officially called “Washington’s Birthday” by the federal government. While several states still have individual holidays honoring the birthdays of Washington, Abraham Lincoln and other figures, Presidents’ Day is now popularly viewed as a day to celebrate all U.S. presidents past and present.

It seems that the date of celebration is just a little agreement among states and the federal government. Calendars were complicated and hardly uniform in the late 1700s, so, February 22 was declared to be Washington’s Birthday, and a national holiday. Way back 1968, Congress introduced the Uniform Monday Holiday Bill, in an effort to create as many long weekends as possible for U.S. workers.

During the discussion of the bill, many members of Congress pushed the idea of renaming the holiday President’s Day to honor fellow president Abraham Lincoln, who had a nearby Feb. 12 birthday. Lincoln’s birthday was already celebrated in several states, but was not a federally recognized holiday.

In 1999, Congress proposed to make Washington’s birthday the official date of Presidents’ Day, but there was just a vague agreement on this. The name President’s Day is informal and it’s a popular misconception that Congress had officially renamed the day. This is why sometimes you see President’s Day, and other times President’s Day. Both are correct, depending on where you are located. In New Mexico, it’s President’s Day. New Mexico wanted to give its workers extra time around the holidays, so lawmakers pushed it in to annually recur on the day after Thanksgiving.

What’s Open and Closed Presidents’ Day 2015?

February 13, 2015 By Jeffrey Strain 1 Comment

What's open and closed on Presidents Day

Washington’s Birthday (more commonly referred to as Presidents’ Day) is on February 16 this year. It’s an official US federal holiday which is celebrated on the third Monday in February each year. While it’s one of the 10 official federal holidays, things can get confusing about what is and isn’t open because it’s not a national holiday. That is, federal employees get the day off work, but it’s up to each private business to decide whether they will observe the holiday or not. The result is different businesses will be open on some federal holidays while closed on other federal holidays, and this can lead to quite a bit of confusion about what is and isn’t open.

Below you will find a list of different businesses and services which you can expect to find open or close for Presidents’ Day:

Major Retailers

Major Retailers are open on Presidents’ Day. Presidents’ Day is one of the federal holidays where virtually all major retail outlets remain open. Not only will they be open on February 16, many will be promoting sales to drive traffic into their stores. For those who enjoy shopping, all of your favorite stores will be open.

The Federal Government

Federal government offices are closed on Presidents’ Day. Being that it’s a federal holiday, all federal employees will have February 16 off of work. That also means all federal offices and buildings will be closed for the day. There are a few exceptions for those federal workers who are deemed to be essential to keep things running, such as air traffic controllers.

Town, County and State Governments

Local and state government offices may be open or closed on Presidents’ Day. It depends where you live as to whether or not local and state governments will observe this federal holiday and give their workers the day off. Local and state government offices and buildings will also be open or closed depending on where you live. It’s best to check you local news or call directly to find out what will be open and closed in your area. As with Federal employees who are deemed essential, local and state government employees also deemed this way may still have to work even if other workers get the day off. Some examples of this would be the police department and the fire department.

Credit Unions and Banks

Credit unions and banks are closed on Presidents’ Day. While most banks and credit unions will shut their doors to observe the holiday, there are a few more than usual which will keep their doors open on February 16. You can see a list of banks that will be opened and closed here.

The United States Postal Service (USPS)

The US post office is closed on Presidents’ Day. As part of the federal government, USPS employees will have the day off. Post office branches around the country will be closed for the day, and there will not be any regular Monday mail service. The private mail carriers United Parcel Service (UPS) and Federal Express (FedEx) do not observe the holiday, and both companies will be opened during their typical Monday hours.

The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and NASDAQ

The stock markets are closed on Presidents’ Day. Both the NYSE and NASDAQ composite shut down to observe Presidents’ Day, meaning the week of the 16th through 20th will only have four trading days. It’s one of 10 days when the stock markets shut down for the entire day during the year.

Community Libraries

Public libraries may be open or closed on Presidents’ Day. It depends where you live as to whether or not your local library will be open or closed. If you are considering heading to the library to check out or return books, you should call to confirm whether it will be open or not.

Public Schools

Most schools are closed on Presidents’ Day. Most schools observe the holiday and close for the day to give many families a three day weekend to enjoy.

National Parks

National Parks are open on Presidents’ Day. National parka are part of the federal government, but this is one division which remains open for the holiday. Even better, national parks offer free entrance over the entire Presidents’ Day weekend (Feb. 14 – 16) meaning you can get into over 100 national parks which usually charge a fee at no cost.

Garbage Services

Garbage pickup may be rescheduled. It depends on where you live, but garbage service may be rescheduled if you usually have garbage pickup on Mondays. If you do, call your local garbage company to find out any changes.

Grocery Stores

Grocery stores are open on Presidents’ Day. All grocery stores will be open and retain their normal Monday hours on February 16. It can be a great time to stock up on Valentine’s Day chocolate, as these will go on sale after Saturday.

Restaurants

Restaurants are open on Presidents’ Day. Those who will be traveling over the long weekend will be happy to know all major chain restaurants will be open on February 16, so it should be easy to find something to eat. For independent restaurants, if they are typically open on Monday (many family-owned restaurants close on Monday as their one day off during the week), they should be open, but it always pays to call to confirm.

(Photo courtesy of Chris Miller)

Are Banks Open on Presidents’ Day 2015

February 12, 2015 By Jeffrey Strain 2 Comments

Presidents’ Day will be celebrated on Monday, February 16, 2015, and it can sometimes be a bit confusing as to whether or not credit unions, banks and other financial institutions are open for business on this holiday. Presidents’ Day is one of ten official federal holidays, but this doesn’t mean that it’s a national holiday. Banks, credit unions and other financial institutions get to decide whether they will be open or closed on this day. It varies from holiday to holiday, and from bank to bank, as to whether or not each will be open on a particular federal holiday.

One of the issues which makes things confusing is Presidents’ Day is observed on a Monday, which is typically a business day for banks, credit unions and other financial institutions. Unfortunately, the question, “Are banks open on Presidents’ Day?” isn’t a simple “yes, they’re open” or “no, they’re closed” answer. In the vast majority of cases, banks and credit unions are closed on Presidents’ Day since banks typically have a holiday schedule which is the same as federal holidays, but there are exceptions on this holiday.

Are banks open on Presidents’ Day?

No, most banks are closed on Presidents’ Day. For the majority of banks and credit unions, being closed on Presidents’ Day is the general rule. There are exceptions on this holiday. All the branches at three well-known banks remain open on Presidents’ Day, as well as store branches at a couple of others:

Banks Open on Presidents’ Day

Chase Bank is open on Presidents’ Day
TD Bank is open on Presidents’ Day
Wells Fargo is open on Presidents’ Day
The supermarket branches of PNC Bank are open on Presidents’ Day
The in-store branches of SunTrust Bank are open on Presidents’ Day

Banks Closed on Presidents’ Day

Bank of America is closed on Presidents’ Day
Citibank is closed on Presidents’ Day
US Bank is closed on Presidents’ Day
Capital One is closed on Presidents’ Day
HSBC Bank is closed on Presidents’ Day
PNC Bank regular branches are closed on Presidents’ Day
SunTrust regular branches are closed on Presidents’ Day

Are credit unions open on Presidents’ Day?

No, most credit unions are closed on Presidents’ Day. Credit unions are much like banks when it comes to this holiday. The vast majority of regular branches will be closed for the day, but there may be some located in grocery stores or other retail outlets which will remain open along with the store where they’re located.

It’s important to remember going to a bank or credit union isn’t the only way to do many banking transactions. One of the great advantages of technology is many basic banking transaction can now be done even when a bank branch is closed. Some typical ways to do this would be through a bank’s ATM, their mobile app or on their website. All three of these option can usually be accessed 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Is the stock market open on Presidents’ Day?

No, stock markets are closed on Presidents’ Day. Both the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and NASDAQ Composite are closed on Monday. The stock markets usually mirror federal holidays when it comes to when they are closed. For those interested, these are all the stock market holidays this year.

Are Banks Open on Valentine’s Day?

Yes, banks are open Valentine’s Day. This year, Valentine’s Day (February 14) lands on Presidents’ Day weekend (February 14 – 16). Local bank and credit union branches have differing opening hours with some open on Saturday while others remain closed. If your local bank branch is typically open on a Saturday, it will be open for Valentine’s Day.

It should be noted most banks and credit unions will be closed Sunday, February 15, during the holiday weekend. These financial institutions typically close on Sunday with a few exceptions. The exceptions will remain open on the 15th, but all the others will be closed for business on that day.

(Photo courtesy of Liz Lawley)

National Parks Service Offers Nine Fee Free Entrance Days in 2014

December 20, 2013 By Jeffrey Strain Leave a Comment

One of the best deals around is our national parks. If you have a permanent disability or you’re a current military member or their dependent, you can get special passes that allow you to get into National Parks at no charge 365 days a year. If you’re a senior over the age of 62, you can get a lifetime pass for only $10. Even the annual pass for the general public is a deal at $80. In addition to all these deals, the National Parks service also designates free entrance days each year when anyone can visit any of the 401 parks within the system at no cost. Each year the days designated for free entrance change a bit. The following nine days have be designated as such in 2014:

January 20 (Martin Luther King Jr. Day)

February 15 – 17 (President’s Day weekend)

April 19 – 20 (National Park Week’s opening weekend)

August 25 (National Park Service’s 98th birthday)

September 27 (National Public Lands Day)

November 11 (Veterans Day)

Something that many people don’t realize is that while there are 59 “National Parks,” there are actually over 400 units that are part of the national park system. These include national monuments, seashores, preserves and recreation areas, which cover over 84 million acres of amazingly beautiful scenery and include some 17,000 miles of trails. There is also 5,000 miles of shoreline to be explored, and over 27,000 historic and prehistoric structures on these lands. Many of these parks never charge an entrance fee, and you can visit them for free any day of the year. There are only 133 parks in the system which charge an entrance fee, anywhere from $3 to $25.

In addition to all the parks within the national parks system, other Federal Land units also observe and participate in these no cost entrance days. These include the Bureau of Land Management, the U.S. Forest Service and the Army Corps of Engineers among others. You need to go to their individual websites to confirm if they are also participating on the days listed above, but most do. Including these units means that there are more than 2,000 places across the US which can be accessed for free on these days.

These free entrance days can be a great time to visit a new park in your area, or to plan a family vacation. It’s important to highlight that only the entrance fee is waived at the parks on these days. Many parks have other fees such as camping, tours, reservations and other types of concessions. These fees will still apply on the above days. That being said, many of the tour operators use the free days to run their own promotions and discounts. It’s well worth the time researching because some great deals can be found.

Another important note to mention is that these days will tend to be a lot more crowded than on similar days during the same time period. Everyone loves a deal, and this one does tend to attract quite a crowd. If you aren’t into the places you explore having more people than usual, and you have an annual pass, you might want to consider skipping these days for others when there are less people in the park. While I love our national parks more than the average person, and I love for people to have the opportunity to visit them at no charge so they too can fall in love with them, I personally stay away as they are doing so.