I miss the days when Labor Day Weekend was the traditional end of summer. School used to begin the Tuesday after Labor Day. When I was growing up, schools weren’t air conditioned, so starting later would often make it a bit cooler and more comfortable for everyone in the classrooms.
Labor Day, which is observed annually the first Monday in September, is the day we celebrate the achievements of the American labor movement, and the contributions that our American workers have made to the strength and prosperity of our country. President Grover Cleveland made Labor Day a national holiday in 1894. This means schools and banks and all government offices will be closed and there will be no mail delivery.
What will be open on Labor Day are the stores and many will be having big sales. Labor Day is an important sale weekend for retailers since so many people are off work and able to shop. Some retailers say it is their second biggest sale weekend after Black Friday and Thanksgiving weekend. I was in Hobby Lobby yesterday and not only are they having some nice sales but they already had Halloween, Thanksgiving and CHRISTMAS decorations out!
Many Americans will fly their flags and attend parades on Labor Day. Some will celebrate this end of the summer holiday by having cookouts or picnics with family and friends. Etiquette rules used to say that Labor Day was the cutoff date for wearing white pants, summer fabrics, and open-toed shoes, but those fashion folkways seem to have gone by the wayside. This is especially true in the south where it’s still hot in September and flip flops are worn well into the fall.
In the northern part of the United States, Labor Day is traditionally the last weekend to have pools and lake houses open. After Labor Day, it begins to get too cool for water activities. Last summer, we used our pool heater and kept our pool open until the end of October.
I’ve been really sad this week about the church school shooting in Minneapolis and I really didn’t feel much like writing a blog post. I don’t have answers for what is happening in our country or for why people are having so many mental health issues. What I can say, is love your family and friends the best you can and make them feel valued and appreciated. This holiday weekend is the perfect time to do that!
We will be doing a little traveling and a lot of relaxing over the next four days. I received a big stack of books for my birthday and I hope to fit in some good reading time. Whatever you are doing this long holiday weekend, I hope it involves some fun and relaxing time with family and friends.