Vignette > Holidays

Designation of holidays is partly the prerogative of the sate.  In 1912, California law listed the following holidays: the first day of January (New Year’s Day), twelfth day of February (Lincoln Day), twenty-second day of February (Washington Day), thirtieth day of May (Decoration Day), fourth day of July (Independence Day), first Monday in September (Labor Day), ninth day of September (Admission Day and Teddy Bear Day), [In 1902, President Theodore Roosevelt refused to shoot a bear cub while hunting in Mississippi. This incident made national news. In a cartoon of the event in the Washington Post on November 16th, 1902, the caricature became an instant classic. National Teddy Bear Day was observed annually on September 9th], Twelfth day of October (Columbus Day), twenty-fifth day of December (Christmas Day).  By1951 a few changes had been made: the eleventh day of November (Armistice Day) and the fourth Thursday in November (Thanksgiving Day) were added, and the ninth day of September holiday was deleted. Other states historically have had other holidays. For example, Southern states did not celebrate Lincoln Day; Texas celebrated the creation of the Republic of Texas on March 2, 1836; Massachusetts celebrated Paul Revere’s ride, April 18, 1775.