Today is thought of by many as summer\u2019s last hurrah. Many also know it for barbecues and the unofficial cutoff for wearing white clothing \u2014 yep, today, September 6, is Labor Day. Labor Day falls on the first Monday of every September and this year that\u2019s today.
In general, you can thank some 19th century Americans for this three-day weekend.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As we\u2019ve discussed in past years, the true founder of Labor Day remains unknown, bur it is generally attributed to two different origins \u2014 and, it doesn\u2019t help that people who get the credit have very<\/em> similar names \u2014 Peter McGuire and Matthew Maguire. I won\u2019t repeat what I\u2019ve discussed in past years about Labor Day, but both McGuire and Maguire, who are not related, had the same passion for improving the working conditions of Americans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We\u2019ve all heard the expression, \u201cno white after Labor Day.\u201d This fashion \u201crule\u201d says to put all your white clothes back in the closet. Of course, there are weeks of warm weather left, so why put white things away starting tomorrow? <\/p>\n\n\n\n It seems like the creators of this fashion edict were wealthy, high-society 19th century women who were upset because their social lives were being invaded by \u201cnew-money\u201d newcomers. To separate them from brand-new millionaires in the social hierarchy, insider knowledge became a common practice to separate \u201cold-money\u201d from \u201cnew-money.\u201d According to lore, the introduction of Labor Day provided a checkpoint at the end of the summer social season to single out those in the know.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Lighter fabrics reflect the sun during the hot summer months, making white a popular and practical color. Custom dictated a return to darker, heaver fabrics once cooler weather came.\u00a0 Labor Day is a time to pay tribute to American workers, and all of their many contributions and achievements through the years. Today honors the men and women who fought tirelessly for workers\u2019 rights, especially the eight-hour work day we have now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n So as we eat our hot-dogs and have that one more beer or glass of wine, we should all take some time to reflect and pay respect to all the workers, past and present, who have made American the country it is today. Thomas Edison said there is no substitute for hard work. I\u2019ll drink to that! Today is thought of by many as summer\u2019s last hurrah. Many also know it for barbecues and the unofficial cutoff for wearing white clothing \u2014 yep, today, September 6, is Labor Day. Labor Day falls on the first Monday of … Continue reading
In recent years, so-called respected etiquette guides say that rule is a thing of the past.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Happy Labor Day!
\u2014 30 \u2014<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"