Although February is the shortest month of the year it is filled with several celebratory holidays that are near and dear to Americans and those abroad.   View our store for great deals on related items. 

African American History Month-

In 1926 Dr. Carter G. Woodson, an African American graduate of Harvard born to former slaves, launched Negro History Week as an initiative to bring national attention to the contributions of black people throughout American history.  The celebration was later extended throughout the entire month of February to become known as African American History Month

Mardi Gras

French for “Fat Tuesday”, Mardi Gras is a traditional holiday celebrated in many of the southern states of the USA. The most famous celebration takes place in New Orleans, Louisiana. The people there enjoy this celebration by going to parades where they catch "beads, doubloons, cups, and trinkets" that are all thrown from floats. 

Presidents Day

Presidents Day (or Presidents' Day), is the common name for the federal holiday officially designated as Washington's Birthday, and both variants are among the official names of a number of coinciding state holidays. It is celebrated on the third Monday of February.

As the official title of the federal holiday, Washington's Birthday was originally implemented by the federal government of the United States in 1880 in the District of Columbia (20 Stat. 277) and expanded in 1885 to include all federal offices (23 Stat. 516). As the first federal holiday to honor an American citizen, the holiday was celebrated on Washington's actual birthday, February 22. January 1, 1971 the federal holiday was shifted to the third Monday in February by the Uniform Monday Holiday Act. A draft of the Uniform Holidays Bill of 1968 would have renamed the holiday to Presidents' Day to honor both Washington and Lincoln, but when signed into law on June 28, 1968 simply moved Washington's Birthday.

Valentines Day

February 14 is set aside as a day of romance but how did this loving holiday become some enchanting?  There are several legends to explain this.  One theory is that St. Valentine, a priest, arranged and conducted marriages in Rome during a time where such activity was deemed criminal.  Others talk to a forbidden love story between St. Valentines and a young mistress.  Although the origin is up for debate there is no denying the significance of  St. Valentines Day in American culture.