Labor Day is a public holiday celebrated on the first Monday of September. In 2017, we’re celebrating it on September 4th.
But even though Labor Day weekend means an extra-long weekend (for most people), it’s much more than just taking a break from work - it’s a celebration of all workers and their contributions to the American economy, and now, also a celebration of those who fought for our rights since the 19th century.
Here are a few Labor Day facts that will surprise, entertain, and inform you!
“All wealth is the product of labor.” - John Locke
1. No one knows for sure who first proposed Labor Day
The origin of Labor Day is a very confusing tale:
The original idea of celebrating Labor Day is often attributed to Matthew Maguire for proposing the holiday in 1882, but an alternative origin story suggests it was actually Peter Maguire who proposed it first after attending the annual labor festival in Toronto, Canada.
Regardless of who proposed it first, Labor Day started being unofficially celebrated in 1882, when the first Labor Day parade took place in New York.
And then…
2. It took 12 years for Labor Day to become an official holiday
As said above, the first Labor Day parade was in New York, 1882. It involved about 10,000 workers and since many businesses didn’t agree to it, workers had to give up their pay for the day to participate.
Five years later, in 1887, Oregon became the first state to make it a legal holiday.
Seven years after that, in 1894, President Grover Cleveland made it a national holiday.
And only 23 years later, in 1916, the 8-hour work day and 40-hour work week were established.
Before that, it was always 12 work hours a day, seven days a week.
3. Labor Day has been celebrated in many different ways over the years
To this day, the Labor Day parade is the main staple of how we celebrate and honor the 135-year old tradition. The first parade took place in New York and had about 10,000 workers in total, but nowadays about a million people celebrate in New York every year.
At first, there was also this odd tradition of not wearing white clothes after Labor Day. The reason for this is usually accepted as being symbolic:
Wearing white was a way to distance oneself from the working class, even if temporarily. Nowadays, of course, the tradition is well-known, but generally not practiced.
Picnics were also common back then, but nowadays you can celebrate pretty much any way you want - either by attending a massive parade or by having a barbecue with friends and family.
Things you can do to celebrate Labor Day weekend:
- Attend your local Labor Day parade or the gigantic NY Parade
- Have a nice family barbecue outdoors
- Enjoy the many sales and discounts during Labor Day weekend
- Many places like restaurants, zoos, public pools, and water parks offer special rates
- Go on vacation - most places have very special offers around this time
4. Labor Day marks the end of summer and beginning of school
Labor Day also symbolizes the unofficial end of Summer, as many Fall activities begin around this time.
The Labor Day weekend usually marks the beginning of school year, as schools either resume classes a week before or right after it. Most schools opt for resuming classes after the three-day weekend since it gives families one extra long weekend before classes start.
The weekend also marks the beginning of sports season - NCAA teams often play their first game on that same weekend, while NFL usually plays their first game on the Thursday following Labor Day, to name just a few.
5. Labor Day is - ironically - one of the busiest days of the year for retailers
Not everybody gets to chill on Labor Day.
Despite being commonly referred to as “the long weekend” and being originally a day for workers to celebrate their contributions in peace, Labor Day is currently the second largest “sales” day in America, surpassed only by Black Friday.
This happens because since a lot of people have a day off on Monday, they’re obviously free to shop. Retailers took note of that and now, the Labor Day sales are anxiously anticipated.
If you’re looking to buy any of these things, keep an eye out for Labor Day sales on:
- Laptops
- School supplies
- Summer wear
- Travel packages
- Air conditioners
- Gardening supplies
Labor Day has indeed changed over the years - at first, it was a political stand against abusive work laws, but now that much improvement has been made, we celebrate the accomplishments of those before us and our own contributions to the American work force.
So whether you’re parading with the millions of fellow American workers or simply having a family barbecue on Labor Day weekend, remember to be thankful for those who stood up against all odds for better working legislation since the 19th century.
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