To many, Labor Day marks the end of the summer season, even as Memorial Day marks its beginning. Many see Labor Day as their last chance to get out and take a vacation before summer is gone, and many workers get a two-week annual vacation period with Labor Day Weekend right in the middle of the two weeks off.
Most U.S. schools restart classes, after the long summer break, about a week before Labor Day. Others schools, however, resume classes on the day after Labor Day, thus allowing families to get in their last taste of summer before the school year gets underway.
While Canada also celebrates Labour Day at the same time as in the U.S., though spelling it differently to keep faith with the UK, many other countries have their own equivalent of Labor Day. May Day (on May 1st), for example, is observed by over 80 nations to give workers a much-needed day off, and there are also other countries with yet other dates for their version of Labor Day.
The first U.S. Labor Day celebrations took place in New York City in 1882 at the behest of local labor unions, who wanted to put the fruits of their industries on public display. In 1887, Oregon instituted a state-level Labor Day holiday, and 29 other states followed suit before Labor Day finally became a federal holiday in 1894.
The original Labor Day celebrations consisted of street parades displaying the contributions of laborers in various industries followed by local festivals or other amusements. Over time, it became a time for giving speeches on labor-related topics, which is still occasionally done today.
Besides recognition of labor and general entertainment, another reason Labor Day was instituted was to provide a public holiday in the long, “holiday-free” span between the Fourth of July and Thanksgiving. This gap-filler strategy, combined with its “strategic position” at the end of the summer season, has made Labor Day a much-appreciated break for many U.S. workers.
Although there are still a few parades and some fireworks displays on Labor Day Weekend, it is not a big time for “official events.” Mostly, it is the beginning of the football season, a time for picnics and barbecues, and a time to go on vacation to the beach, national parks, or elsewhere.
Little less then two weeks until Labor Day is here. Come into American Heritage to get your flag needs.
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