In Australia, it’s common to move holidays around so that the day off you get falls on a nearby Monday. When I was permanently living there this was even done with Australia Day, though I think now that’s always celebrated on January 26 rather than the last Monday in January. But I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything like this.

In 1968, legislation (HR 15951) was enacted that affected several federal holidays. One of these was Washington’s Birthday, the observation of which was shifted to the third Monday in February each year whether or not it fell on the 22nd.

It’s all well and good to celebrate Washington’s birthday on a day when he wasn’t born. And I’m as much for Monday holidays as anyone. But shouldn’t the algorithm used to compute the holiday make it at least possible for the holiday to actually fall on the 22nd?