History of Labor Day:
The first Labor Day holiday was celebrated on Tuesday, September 5, 1882, in New York City, in accordance with the plans of the Central Labor Union. In 1987, President Grover Cleveland established it as a national holiday, to be honored each year on the first Monday in September.
The form that the observance and celebration of Labor Day should take was outlined in the first proposal of the holiday — a street parade to exhibit to the public "the strength and esprit de corps of the trade and labor organizations" of the community, followed by a festival for the recreation and amusement of the workers and their families. This became the pattern for the celebrations of Labor Day.
The Holiday Today:
Labor Day has become synonymous with grilling and spending time outside with family and friends.
The holiday marks the end of the traditional summer (although it doesn't officially end until later in the month) with students normally returning to school the following week. High society fashion rules say it is the last day of the season to fashionably wear white (although we happily thumb our noses at that tradition here in the Florida Keys!)
Labor Day has also become known as a shopping day. Taking advantage of the fact that much of the labor force are off work for the day, retailers historically run big sales to lure shoppers on their day off.
Happy Labor Day!
However you celebrate this break in labor, enjoy and be safe!
How do you celebrate Labor Day?
