Labor Day — Is it just another 3-day weekend?

Labor Day — Is it just another 3-day weekend?

The story behind the ‘ unofficial last day of summer’

ralphhardin@gmail.com We all love holidays, right? I mean, I guess there’s always a dark cloud inside every silver lining.

Maybe you have a job where a holiday still means a day at work, or maybe even extra work if you’re in a position where holidays mean more customers (I’m lookin’ at you, waiters and waitresses on Mother’s Day).

But for many, days like today are a day off. Now, Labor Day, it seems, is a little different from many of the other major holidays. Most of the time, when we’re celebrating a holiday, we’re often admonished that while we “celebrate” we also need to remember the “real reason” for the holiday.

Now, don’t get me wrong.

I do think it’s important that while we’re opening presents (and stuffing our faces), we should always keep in mind that Christmas is about celebrating the birth of Jesus. And while we’re shooting off fireworks (and stuffing our faces), we should always keep in mind the great freedom we enjoy as a nation.

And while we’re hunting Easter eggs or watching football or grilling hot dogs, there’s an underlying reason all of this is happening. We may be (at least theoretically) honoring our veterans, giving thanks to God, paying tribute to one of our past leaders, or what have you (usually while stuffing our faces), but yes, we’re also enjoying the day off.

So, Labor Day is a little different. In case you didn’t know, or at least haven’t thought about it since 5th grade social studies, Labor Day is a “tribute” day, sort of like Presidents Day, Columbus Day, Martin Luther King Day, Veterans Day, or Memorial Day. But it’s almost sort of an abstract idea. Labor Day finds its origins in the labor movement of post-Civil War late-1800s America. Beginning in the late 19th century, as the trade union and labor movements grew, trade unionists proposed that a day be set aside to celebrate the common laborer. Thus the idea of a 'Labor Day' holiday was born. Promoted by two powerful unions of the day, the Central Labor Union and the Knights of Labor, a parade in New York City in 1882, considered the first real celebration of Labor Day as we know it. In 1887, Oregon was the first state of the United States to make it an official public holiday.

Many states quickly followed suit, and it became an official federal holiday in 1894, celebrated on the first Monday in September. For many, Labor Day marks the unofficial end of summer, bookended by the season being kicked off with Memorial Day. Traditionally, Labor Day meant time for a new school year, although most public schools are already back in class by mid-August now, thus making Labor Day a much-welcome three-day weekend for teachers and students to take a breather early in the school year.

It means a last chance to take a summer vacation before summer (officially) ends in late September. It means the return of football season and other fall-centric activities. And of course, it means a chance to gather with family and friends for more of the aforementioned face stuffing.

Now maybe you can perhaps see some irony in the idea that we honor the American worker by, well, not working, but that’s OK. We’ll all be back at it Tuesday.

Counting the days until Thanksgiving Break, of course.

By Ralph Hardin