In the United States, Veterans Day is a federal holiday that is observed annually on November 11. This date is fixed by law and remains constant each year, irrespective of the day of the week on which it falls. The core subject of the inquiry is the proper noun "Veterans Day," and its key attribute is this specific date.
The historical significance of the November 11 date is tied to the end of World War I. An armistice between the Allied nations and Germany was signed, taking effect on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month in 1918. Initially, the day was commemorated as Armistice Day. In 1954, following World War II and the Korean War, the 83rd U.S. Congress amended the act by replacing "Armistice" with "Veterans" to honor American veterans of all wars. Although the Uniform Monday Holiday Act briefly moved the observance to October in the 1970s, the historical importance of the original date led to legislation returning the official observance to November 11, effective in 1978.
Because the holiday is set for November 11, its practical observance by government and businesses is adjusted when the date occurs on a weekend. According to federal guidelines, if November 11 falls on a Saturday, the preceding Friday is the designated day off for federal workers. If it falls on a Sunday, the holiday is observed on the following Monday. This ensures the allocation of a long weekend, though individual states and private employers may establish their own observance policies.
