Presidents', President's or Presidents Day

mdin · Feb 20, 2006

It's Presidents' Day according to both my dictionary and AP style guide, yet I've seen it spelled all three ways today on different official websites. Are there any weird rules about this? I know some states only wish to acknowledge Washington, for example.

reph · Feb 20, 2006

Are there any weird rules about this?

There must be some weird rules if you've seen it three ways. Emphasis on "weird." I believe "Presidents' Day" is correct. That's what my calendar says, too. The day honors two presidents. In my view, state legislators who wish to honor only one president should get only half a day off until they straighten up.

PastMidnight · Feb 20, 2006

"Presidents' Day" and "President's Day" could both potentially be correct. I can't think of how "Presidents Day" could be grammatically correct, though.

Jamesaritchie · Feb 20, 2006

Day

PastMidnight said:
"Presidents' Day" and "President's Day" could both potentially be correct. I can't think of how "Presidents Day" could be grammatically correct, though.

The first two are possesive, an dthe third isn't, but it's still grammatically correct. Presidents Day simply means a day when you celebrate more than one president, and none of them own it.

But the encyclopedia says "Presidents' Day" is correct, which makes sense.

Haggis · Feb 20, 2006

Washington's Birthday.

Presidents', President's or Presidents Day

mdin

The late, the great XThe NavigatorX

reph

Fig of authority

PastMidnight

Oponionated

Jamesaritchie

Haggis

Evil, undead Chihuahua