Labor Day is annually held on the first Monday of September.It was
originally organized to celebrate various labor associations' strengths
of and contributions to the United States economy.It is largely a day
of rest in modern times.Many people mark Labor Day as the end of the
summer season and a last chance to make trips or hold outdoor events.Labor Day is a federal holiday.All Government offices,schools and
organizations and many businesses are closed.Some public celebrations,such as fireworks displays,picnics and barbecues, are organized,but
they are usually low key events.For many teams,it is the start of the
football season.As it is the last chance for many people to take summer
trips,there may be some congestion on highways and at airports.Public
transit systems do not usually operate on their regular timetables.Traditionally,people did not wear white clothes,particularly shoes,after Labor day.However,this custom is slowly dying out.More and
more people now wear white all year round,rather than just in the
summer.Similarly,it is the custom to wear a straw cowboy hat from
Memorial Day until Labor Day,then a felt one until Memorial Day comes
around again.The first Labor Day was held in 1882.Its origins stem from the desire
of the Central Labor Union to create a holiday for workers.It became a
federal holiday in 1894.It was originally intended that the day would
be filled with a street parade to allow the public to appreciate the
work of the trade and labor organizations.After the parade,a festival
was to be held to amuse local workers and their families.In later
years,prominent men and women held speeches.This is less common now,but is sometimes seen in election years.One of the reasons for choosing
to celebrate this on the first Monday in September was to add a holiday
in the long gap between Independence Day and Thanksgiving...
