LIZ DREIER | The origin of Labor Day customs (kind of)
We all know that Labor Day started as a way to honor American workers, but have you ever thought about the holiday customs we follow? Why do we have barbecues and parades? Should school start before or after the first Monday of September? What’s the big deal about wearing white anyway? Read on to find the answers to these questions. Some of them might even be true.
- The traditional end of summer: Well, not really. There are a couple of weeks left before the calendar says it’s fall. But just as Memorial Day is considered the official beginning of summer, Labor Day is seen as the symbolic end to those lazy, hazy, crazy days. It’s a good time for people to get together and celebrate in traditional American fashion — by hosting barbecues.
- The barbecue: People around the world have been arguing for centuries about who should get credit for inventing the barbecue. Did it start in the West Indies? Central America? Your uncle Dom’s backyard? Texans insist that not only did they invent the barbecue, they are the only ones who know how to throw one. Who can argue with a state whose motto is “Friendship”? Pull up a chair, friend, and have some ribs!
- The parade: Allegedly, the first Labor Day parade occurred Sept. 5, 1882, in New York City. There are conflicting reports about how many people attended. Was it 10,000 or 20,000? The number isn’t important. What’s impressive is the fact that thousands of workers joined in solidarity to demonstrate for better working conditions. And guess what — they had a barbecue! The idea of a community celebration to honor laborers took hold all across the United States, but it wasn’t until 1894 that Congress made Labor Day a federal holiday.
- Back to school: When most families farmed, youngsters returned to their studies after the fall harvest. That didn’t change even when manufacturing replaced farming. In the days before air conditioning, school still didn’t begin until after Labor Day. In the 1980s, federal law mandated a longer school year. Today, classes resume in August, much to the dismay of students everywhere. Parents, on the other hand, are delighted.
- Ditch the white clothes: Back in the day, only the wealthy could afford vacations at the shore, where they donned their expensive, white, summer wardrobes. But hold on — the working class was moving up the social ladder and they could afford to buy white duds, too. To set themselves apart from the nouveau riche, families from “old money” created arbitrary fashion rules, like “no white clothes after Labor Day.” If you weren’t part of the “in crowd,” you’d give away your social status by wearing white in the fall — a major fashion faux pas. In the 21st century, the only thing you need to ditch is this outdated rule about your clothes. Just be careful not to spill barbecue sauce on your nice, white pants.
Liz Dreier
mahoningmatters