美国庆祝总统节

Millions of workers and school children in the United States are getting a day off Monday for the annual Presidents' Day holiday.

It first became a federal holiday in 1879 to celebrate the February 22 birthday of the first U.S. president, George Washington.

Nearly a century later, in 1968, Congress passed a law shifting the celebration of several federal holidays from specific dates to predetermined Mondays in order to give workers three consecutive days off.

Retailers take advantage of the holiday - held on the third Monday in February - to promote sales and price cuts on their products.