The Spoils of Our Labor

Today, my family had a cookout to celebrate Labor Day, as we normally do every year. When my mom asked my six-year-old cousin, "Do you know what Labor Day means?" she thought for a second and said, "No." Embarrassed, I realized I couldn't answer that question either. I've always confused Memorial Day with Labor Day, and I've just thought of them as days people got off work. It seems to me that the original intents of these holidays are wasted when people have no idea what their significance is. They've simply turned into party days. (Not that I don't enjoy days off.) I love getting to see my family and eat really good food. It's part of Labor Day. I just think that these holidays would be a lot more meaningful if people knew what they meant and why they were created.

According to the United States Department of Labor website, "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."

"The character of the Labor Day celebration has undergone a change in recent years, especially in large industrial centers where mass displays and huge parades have proved a problem. This change, however, is more a shift in emphasis and medium of expression. Labor Day addresses by leading union officials, industrialists, educators, clerics and government officials are given wide coverage in newspapers, radio, and television."

How come I've never seen stuff like that on the news? I know I'm not the only one who confuses Memorial Day with Labor Day. Maybe it's the whole Monday thing.