February has Valentine’s Day, but it also has a political holiday that Americans celebrate by getting a good price or deal on furniture or a day off of school.

The holiday is President’s Day. This year it falls on Feb. 20, 2017. As we get closer to the holiday, two staff writers at The Clipper, Michelle Hecker and Nathan Senff report on what President’s Day means to them and why they think this year will be any different.

Some students at EvCC said President’s Day is just a normal day for them. Ashley Smith, Free Hugs Advocate, said “I just stay home and have a day off… I don’t really celebrate President’s Day.” Another EvCC student said President’s Day should be a time to voice your opinion and respect the day off of school.

Perhaps surprising to some, there is a historical meaning to President’s Day.  Steven Horn, a political science professor at EvCC, said “The holiday is held as a sign of respect to all presidents of our nation, not just a time when things are on sale.”

The history of the holiday dates back to the Eisenhower administration. Horn said, “The Eisenhower administration proposed a bill for a three-day weekend that respected presidents and that day should be in between the two most influential presidents, Washington and Lincoln.”