The first Labor Day holiday was celebrated on Tuesday, September 5, 1882, in New York City under the supervision of the Central Labor Union. Over the next few years the idea grew and it spread across our country. In 1894 congress passed an act making the first Monday of September a nationally celebrated holiday, Labor Day.
It was supposed to be a yearly national tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country. It was supposed to be a time of comradery, esteem, and gratefulness. A time where families could spend time together, watch the parade & relax. For me this congers up a romanticized view of Labor Day, one I'd really like to view for myself. Maybe I've missed the deeper meaning of Labor Day since I can't remember ever having one to celebrate (I have worked every labor day since I was 15). Maybe there is hope out there & people do get to watch the parade with their families & BBQ with friends. I just can't help but think there are people who are like me, they work on Labor Day. Our country of consumerism has encouraged stores, shops, & businesses to open earlier, close later, and be available at all times. This trend has lead to fewer & fewer holidays celebrated by companies. It started small, staying open on Labor Day, Memorial Day, Veterans Day, Presidents Day, & New Years Day and has started engulfing larger holiday's like Thanksgiving, Easter, & even Christmas.
Let's bring back the importance of the American Holiday! Congress thought they were important days so why don't we? This is my call to action: get organized & ready for holidays ahead of time so you don't have to go to the store on said holiday. Don't be a part of forcing someone to work on a holiday, we all could have a day of fasting from consumerism! It might even prove therapeutic!
I'm sure someone reading this thinks the economy needs every cent it can get so how dare I suggest cutting off spending, even for one day, but the truth is a movement like this isn't going to change things overnight (or even the next decade) businesses are going to be open, someone will have an emergency and will need a store or hospital. And that's okay. Lets just remember it is Labor Day for the clerk behind the counter. At the very least you could take the time be cordial, smile & sincerely thank them.
Read more about the history or Labor Day at The Department of Labor.
I'm sure someone reading this thinks the economy needs every cent it can get so how dare I suggest cutting off spending, even for one day, but the truth is a movement like this isn't going to change things overnight (or even the next decade) businesses are going to be open, someone will have an emergency and will need a store or hospital. And that's okay. Lets just remember it is Labor Day for the clerk behind the counter. At the very least you could take the time be cordial, smile & sincerely thank them.
Read more about the history or Labor Day at The Department of Labor.
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