Happy Labor Day!
Labor Day, the first Monday in September, is a creation of the labor movement and is dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers. It constitutes a yearly national tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country. Today, Labor Day is often regarded as a day of rest and is traditionally celebrated by most Americans as the symbolic end of summer.
Some Labor Day traditions:
-
Since 1966, the annual telethon of the Muscular Dystrophy Association has been held on Labor Day weekend, and raises tens of millions of dollars each year to fund research and patient support programs for the various diseases grouped as muscular dystrophy.
-
Labor Day weekend also marked the annual running of the Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway in South Carolina. The race was run at any time during the weekend from 1950-2002. In 2004, NASCAR began racing on Labor Day Weekend at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California.
-
Chicago’s Taste of Polonia, a Polish-themed festival celebration of Polish cultural heritage, traditions, and customs on the grounds of the Copernicus Foundation in Jefferson Park, brings in crowds of well over 30,000 people each year.
-
Mackinac Bridge Walk is an annual even held every Labor Day since 1958 in Michigan in which people may walk the length of the Mackinac Bridge.
-
Popular fashion etiquette dictates that white should not be worn after Labor Day. The custom is fading however; fashion magazines are jumping on this growing trend, calling people who ‘dare’ to wear white after Labor Day innovative, creative, and bold.
Are you like me, where you sometimes get confused during which time of year both Labor Day and Memorial Day fall? Because I was born in September, which is when Labor Day is celebrated, I equate the word ‘labor’ with being born; hence, Labor Day and September go hand-in-hand.
Whatever your family tradition this Labor Day, Tara and I hope you have fun with safety and kindness in mind!