I’ve been learning about Eid from all of my Muslim Local Guides friends. Now it’s my turn to share a US holiday.
Today is Labor Day in the US. It’s a national holiday. Most businesses, all schools and federal, state and local government offices are closed, except for essential services - police, fire, hospitals, etc. Google US offices are closed for example.
Happens every year, the first Monday of September. it has become a big shopping day, BBQs, last day of summer (only 4 more months to the end of the year), a three day weekend for most Americans, a day of leisure and relaxation.
Newsweek wrote a great post today describing the meaning behind Labor Day. It actually is a holiday to celebrate the achievements and the hard work we Americans do in our jobs to make the US prosperous both economically and socially, especially the hard laborious ones, such as farmer, rancher, manufacturing worker, etc.
Happy Labor Day to all Local Guides and @KarenVChin
Labor Day in the United States is a public holiday celebrated on the first Monday in September. It honors the American labor movement and the contributions that workers have made to the strength, prosperity, laws and well-being of the country.Wikipedia@LucioV
Hiya @KarenVChin ! In Singapore (and most SEA countries, I think), Labour Day falls on May 1. We also call it May Day Similar to the US, Labour Day here is to acknowledge and celebrate the hard work of those who’ve contributed in a way or another to the country.
I heard from one of our teammates who was visiting Singapore that Labor Day in some part of US also marks the last weekend before summer vacation ends. I imagine it must have been a hectic weekend for parents with schooling children!
@JeslynL , it used to represent the last day before the new school year. But for many school districts across America, school starts earlier and earlier every year. This year one district out in the extended SF Bay Area started first week of August! At least in California, most school age children start sometime during the month of August now.
Thanks for May Day info. I know Halloween (another American Holiday - celebrated now by adults more than kids) is slowly spreading across the globe. Many of the stores here are now selling Halloween costumes for the whole family now - parents, kids, babies, and pets - plus decorations and candy!
Aquí en Argentina @KarenVChin , se festeja el día del trabajo, el 1 de Mayo como en muchos países del mundo, es como indica @JeslynL , aquí a parte de ser el día del trabajador es el día en que se reivindica un trágico acontecimiento llamado el día de los mártires de Chicago, que peleaban por la reducción de la jornada laboral de 16 horas a 8, lamentablemente no llegaron a un acuerdo, murieron muchos en esos movimientos y comenzaron las huelgas, esto era el año 1886, el problema siguió y con el tiempo un presidente de EEUU, Andrew Johnson, promulgó la Ingersoll estableciendo ocho horas de trabajo diario, según leí en la mayoría de los paises anglosajones no se toma al 1 de Mayo como día del trabajo, a diferencia del resto de los trabajadores del mundo que consideran esa fecha el origen del movimiento obrero moderno. Particularmente en Argentina el movimiento obrero tiene un peso importante tanto político como económico y tuvo su época de oro en la década del 40 - 50. Con el Movimiento Justicialista o Peronista. Hoy es un día feriado donde en algunos lugares se realizan desfiles y en general la mayoría descansamos en nuestras casas y comemos esos tradicionales asados con amigos o la familia.
Ha me gusta muchísimo que traigas esta reivindicación aqui a Connect
@KarenVChin — Oh! Shortened summer vacation must not sit well with schooling children, haha.
I agree with you that Halloween is now more an adult thing than the trick or treat, “candy please!” classic. There isn’t much of a “Halloween culture” in Singapore to begin with, but I do know that teens/young adults throw their own Halloween parties. Ask anyone about Halloween in Singapore and they’ll probably mention the Universal Studios Singapore Halloween Horror Nights. Scare fest… totally not something I’d sign myself up for.
