"Labor Day, Shmabor Day, what a dumb day ... we celebrate work by playing all day."
~ Garfield (the cartoon cat)
Labor Day began in the late 1800s as a day to honor and celebrate our hard-working laborers. At the time, many laborers worked long 16-hour days with no sick time or vacation pay. They worked for low wages that failed to meet or barely covered living expenses. Labor Day started the fight for fair wages and the rights that many of us take for granted; things that many hard-working Americans could only dream of back then.
Fun Facts about Labor Day:
- The first Labor Day Parade was held on a Tuesday, but today we celebrate the holiday on the first Monday in September.
- The average American spends 100+ hours each year commuting to work. That is more than the two weeks of vacation many workers accrue each year.
- Traditionally it's been unacceptable to wear white after Labor Day, although most people don't really abide by this anymore. (I do remember this rule being socially enforced when I was a child growing up in Texas).
- According to the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council, Labor Day marks the end of Hot Dog Season. The Council estimates that seven billion (yup, that's a "b") are consumed by Americans from Memorial Day to Labor Day!
As you (hopefully) relax this Labor Day, remember to take a moment to think of all the hard working men and women in our country who dedicate endless hours contributing economically and socially to our country's industries.
