When is Labor Day in the US? Always celebrated on the first monday in September.
What is this holiday for?
Today, Labor Day is often regarded as a day of rest and, compared to the May 1 Labour Day celebrations in most countries, parades, speeches or political demonstrations are more low-key, although especially in election years, events held by labor organizations often feature political themes and appearances by candidates for office. Forms of celebration include picnics, barbecues, fireworks displays, water sports, and public art events. Families with school-age children take it as the last chance to travel before the end of summer. Some teenagers and young adults view it as the last weekend for parties before returning to school. However, as of late, schools have begun well before Labor Day, as early as the July 24 in many urban districts, including major southern cities in the United States such as Atlanta, Miami, and Los Angeles. In addition, Labor Day marks the beginning of the season for the National Football League and NCAA College Football. The NCAA usually plays their first games the weekend of Labor day, with the NFL traditionally playing their first game the Thursday following Labor Day.
What is the origin of Labor Day?
Labor Day is a United States federal holiday observed on the first Monday in September. The holiday originated in 1882 as the Central Labor Union (of New York City) sought to create "a day off for the working citizens".
Congress made Labor Day a federal holiday in 1894. All fifty states have made Labor Day a state holiday.
Labor Day Originally
Labor Day was originally meant as a day to honor and exhibit the American spirit through it's hard working people via the labor unions. Labor Day now is a Holiday set aside to honor all workers and is no longer a labor union issue but is celebrated every year on the first Monday in September. Labor Day is considered a workingman's holiday.
What Labor Day means to most
Bales of hay and pinestraw start to fill front yards in September along with other decorations like pumpkins, gourds and fall wreaths on doors. Fall wouldn't be be same if we didn't have our ever so popular scarecrows to decorate the porch either.
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Facts
- The first Labor Day observance was celebrated on September 5th 1882 in New York City. It fell on a Tuesday in that year. New York State's legislature was the first to have a Labor Day bill introduced.
- New York was the first to have a Labor Day bill but it was the State of Oregon that passed the first bill declaring Labor Day on February 21, 1887.
- In 1884 Labor Day was set to be celebrated on the first Monday in September.
- As labor unions spread over the country, so did the Labor Day Holiday.
- Samuel Gomper was the head of the American Federation of Labor in 1898 and he said that Labor Day was.... " the day for which the toilers in past centuries looked forward, when their rights and their wrongs would be discussed... that the workers of our day may not only lay down their tools of labor for a holiday, but upon which they may touch shoulders in marching phalanx and feel the stronger for it."
- Labor Day began by being adopted one state at a time instead of being declared a national holiday by the Congress of the United States.
- June 28, 1894 marked the date that the bill was passed in Congress stating that the first Monday in September of each year would be a legal holiday in the District of Columbia and all the U.S. territories.
- Labor Day parades are traditional and so are picnics in the park and the last lazy weekend at the river.
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Fun Quotes
- If little labor, little are our gains: Man's fortunes are according to his pains. - Robert Herrick
- It's better to wear out than rust out. - Richard Cumberland
- The fellow who isn't fired with enthusiasm is apt to be fired. - B.C. Forbes
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September Food Holidays
Yep.... the month of September has a whole long list of National Food Holidays. If your interested in seeing the list just go to our "September Food Holiday" page and have fun reading.
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Date's To Remember
Autumn/Fall - September 23 to December 21
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