Universal Monday Holidays

When I was a lad, February had Lincoln's Birthday on the twelfth and Washington's Birthday on the twenty-second. Both days were highlighted on the calendar, but neither was a federal holiday. Some states observed one, some the other. The state I grew up in equitably observed one then the other in alternate years.

Now we have uniform Federal-employees-get-the-day-off Mondays. The unfortunate part of this is not that we have holidays, but that the focus is lost and we wind up honoring everyone, which is to say, no one. What exactly is February 16? Well, it is two days after Valentine's Day; it is neither Washington's nor Lincoln's birthday. Wait! wait! It is John McEnroe's birthday. Happy Birthday, Mac. Look, you can pick your own car! Seriously.