September 5, 2011

The Meaning of Labor Day

9-5-2011 National:

One holiday that a lot of people don't seem to take as seriously as all the others, in my experience, has been the holiday known as Labor Day.

Labor Day is a celebration of worker's rights and the triumphs that the labor movement has gained over the last couple of centuries. Many people think of Labor Day as just another holiday where they get off of work or out of school, and don't take the time to look at and appreciate what the holiday is really about.

In the United States Labor Day takes place on the first Monday of September. For many this day marks the end of summer and the beginning of the school year. But Labor Day is not just the end of summer, it is a celebration workers of all sorts.

Labor Day is sometimes confused with the holiday known as 'May Day', which is another labor union related holiday that has it's roots in the Socialist Party. These are two separate holidays basically celebrating the same thing. Labor Day was selected as a separate holiday though to disassociate it from the communistic May Day in the late 1800's.

The Origin of Labor Day

The first Labor Day was organized by Peter J McGuire in 1882. McGuire was a carpenter and one of the leaders of the American union movement.

Over 10,000 workers marched from New York's City Hall to Union Square. After the parade they enjoyed a picnic, concert, and speeches at Reservoir Park with their families.

In many cities across America, Labor Day continues to celebrated in the very same fashion.

Different countries around the world also celebrate the holiday along with the United States.

How to Celebrate Labor Day

Generally, the main way to celebrate Labor Day is by taking the day off work and school, and enjoying the company of your family, friends, and neighbors.

Labor Day would not be possible without the help of the workers who originally fought to get the holiday recognized, so when I celebrate it with my family I try to remember those who worked long hours and in bad conditions. Without those workers, we wouldn't have the industrialized civilization that we do today.

If you're looking to go out with your friends and family on Labor Day, the best way to celebrate it in my opinion is by having a picnic or a cook out. Picnics are nice because they allow for everyone to spend time with each other, and picnics were how most laborers in the 1800's shared their breakfasts and lunches. This is one traditional representation of the labor movement that has a significant place in our history, and should be celebrated by all.

No matter what your thoughts are on the labor movement in general, everyone has to work and it's sometimes nice to sit back, take a moment, and remember that labor is the backbone of our economy and life in general. After the laborers got Labor Day recognized as a national holiday, the rest became history. ..Source.. by Holiday Maven

So let us celebrate and honor all workers, including those whose job it is to protect the rights and freedoms we do have, and to protect this country:







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