Presidents’ Day can lay claim to being one of the nation’s oldest holidays, tracing its heritage all the way back to the late-eighteenth and early nineteenth century when people across the land celebrated the birthday of Revolutionary War Hero and the nation’s first President, George Washington. Washington’s Birthday became an official federal holiday in 1880 and that is still the official designation of the holiday.

Despite its long heritage, just 11% of Americans say they will do anything special to celebrate the holiday. Eighty-one percent (81%) will not. Just 13% consider it one of the nation’s most important holidays while 32% say it is one of the least important. Half (51%) say it is somewhere in between those two extremes. Just 33% even get a day off from work for Presidents’ Day.

While ignoring the holiday designated to celebrated his birthday, Americans still hold George Washington in high regard. Seventy-nine percent (79%) have a favorable opinion of the leader who established countless Presidential precedents that are still followed today. Just 8% have an unfavorable opinion.

In addition to Washington, many consider the holiday a celebration of the nation’s sixteenth President—Abraham Lincoln. Several states expressly include Lincoln in their designation of the holiday. Lincoln is viewed favorably by 84% of Americans and unfavorably by 8%.

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