National holidays usa

NATIONAL HOLIDAYS USA
With January here, it means a lot more than colder temperatures - as the New Year also brings with it the first of the federal holidays of 2019.
On January 1, Americans celebrated their first federal holiday of the year after ringing in the New Year the night before - and on January 21, the birthday of Martin Luther King Jr, also a federal holiday. 
Unfortunately, this means the next federal holiday - the celebration of President's Day on February 18 - is a month away.
Federal holidays, often observed with paid-time off from work, were created by Congress in 1885 when it was decided that federal employees should have certain days off from work.
As time went by, Congress realised how nice it was to have paid-time off - and added historical days of significance to the list of federal holidays, bringing the total number to 10.
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And, to ensure that Americans get the chance to celebrate the holidays no matter what day they fall on, there are guidelines for observing.
Federal holidays that fall on a Saturday are observed by federal employees on the previous Friday, whereas holidays that fall on Sunday are observed the following Monday.
On these days, non-essential federal government offices are closed and banks, post offices and schools may also be closed.
For employees in the private sector, federal holidays may or may not mean a day off - as they cannot legally be required to observe the holiday. Fortunately, most employers will still give employees the day off - or pay extra to employees working on the day.
These are the days to mark on your calendar for the coming year - and the best days to book a long weekend.

Holidays:

New Year’s Day: Monday, January 1
Birthday of Martin Luther King Jr.: Monday, January 21
Birthday of George Washington (President’s Day): Monday, February 18
Memorial Day: Monday, May 27
Independence Day: Thursday, July 4
Labor Day: Monday, September 2
Columbus Day: Monday, October 14
Veterans Day: Monday, November 11
Thanksgiving Day: Thursday, November 28
Christmas Day: Wednesday, December 25

Other important holidays to note that you don’t get off for:

Groundhog Day: Saturday, February 2
Valentine’s Day: Thursday, February 14
Saint Patrick’s Day: Sunday, March 17
Tax Day: Monday, April 15
Good Friday: Friday, April 19
Easter: Sunday, April 21
Cinco de Mayo: Sunday, May 5
Mother’s Day: Sunday, May 12
Father’s Day: Sunday, June 16
Halloween: Thursday, October 31
Black Friday: Friday, November 29