Fun Facts About Labor Day

No One Knows Who Started Labor Day

Historians generally have a pretty good idea of who was responsible for starting which holidays -- except for Labor Day that is. Some historians credit Peter J. McGuire, secretary for the Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners, for creating Labor Day. McGuire had allegedly wanted to create a special day to honor the nation's workers. Other historians, however, believe inventor and secretary for the International Association of Machinists Matthew Mcguire (different Mcguire) was responsible for creating Labor Day.

Retail Salespersons is the Nation's Leading Occupation

Ever wonder which occupation in the United States has the most workers? According to data released by the Census Bureau, this accolade goes to retail sales. The Census Bureau says that more than four and a half million people in the U.S. work in retail sales, making it the nation's leading occupation. Coming in second is "cashiers," with just slightly more than 3.3 million Americans working this occupation.

International Worker's Day

While the United States has Labor Day, more than 80 countries throughout the world celebrate "International Worker's Day" to honor their workforce. However, International Worker's Day is held on May 1 as opposed to the first Monday of September.

Busy Retail Shopping

It may not receive the quite the same level of attention as Black Friday, but the Labor Day weekend has become of the nation's busiest shopping times of the year. In fact, many retailers say it's the second busiest shopping time of the year, with billions of dollars being spent on consumers goods and products. In an effort to capitalize on this trend, many retailers now offer special deals and promotions for the Labor Day weekend.

Marks the Beginning of Football Season

As most football fanatics probably already know, the Labor Day weekend marks the beginning of the NFL and college NCAA football seasons. The NFL traditionally plays its first game on the first Thursday following Labor Day, whereas NCAA plays its first game during the actual Labor Day weekend.

Labor Day is the End of Summer

Well, it's not technically the end of summer, but many Americans view Labor Day as the end of summer and beginning of fall. In case you were wondering, the official start of fall is September 23, which of course is just a few weeks away.