How Do We Celebrate Labor Day And Why

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. Traditionally, Labor Day is celebrated by most Americans as the symbolic end of the summer.

But, while Labor Day is often regarded as a day of rest and is a National holiday folks who must work for a living rarely get the day off. While we celebrate certain religious holidays by closing just about everything, we take a holiday intended to recognize the working citizens within our country, and, we make them work.

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If you read this in the morning but must then go to work, I want to thank you for being a working class citizen of this country. I will have the day off because I am self-employed, which another way of saying unemployed except when someone hires me to work. Honestly, if someone wanted me to work today, and promised to pay me, I would be right out there with you.

And if you read this after coming home from work, I want to thank you for being a working class citizen of this country. Because you went to work, our economy probably did a little better and I hope you made a decent wage today.

But if you are getting the day off and then go out to a movie, restaurant or going shopping, thank the folks that are working today to make your day off more enjoyable.

And last, if you are unemployed but would have preferred to work, I hope you could still enjoy your day, somehow, as I know the unemployment rates are up, wages are down and it seems to be getting harder and harder to find a reason to celebrate just about anything anymore.

Now then, let’s all get ready to go to work or look for a job tomorrow, except those of you have the luxury to stay home because you have retired. Who is left? Those folks who get paid for doing nothing, like most of the people we have elected into office….Happy Labor Day!