Labor Day {Free Printables}

Labor Day is just around the corner (or weekend) which can mean a lot of things!  For some people it means back to school time, the end of summer, day off of work, parades or in my case, a REALLY great reason to have a party. 

I love hosting outdoor events during this time year.  The perfect warm days and cool evenings of the “late summer, early fall” weather are perfect for some fun in the sun and then some relaxation in the evening.  If you haven’t planned anything for this holiday yet, I suggest a great outdoor event such as grilling out or a camp fire meal.  (mmm…. Smores!) 

No matter how you look at Labor Day, the real reason for the holiday is celebrating America’s Labor (Union) Leaders for over 120 years.  I looked up the history of this National Holiday and the Department of Labor says that even “more than 100 years after the first Labor Day observance, there is still some doubt as to who first proposed the holiday for workers.”

Records show that Peter J. McGuire (the general secretary of the Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners as well as a cofounder of the American Federation of Labor) was first in suggesting a day to honor laborers in the United States.  However some believe that Matthew Maguire, a machinist, not Peter McGuire, founded the holiday.  Recent research seems to support the contention that Matthew Maguire proposed the holiday in 1882 while serving as secretary of the Central Labor Union in New York.

Although rather its confusing as to who was the exact “Father of Labor Day” what we do know is that it was the Central Labor Union who adopted a Labor Day proposal and appointed a committee to plan a demonstration and picnic.

Although this holiday has a long history, some still only see it as a day off from work and a perfect reason to have an outdoor party!  Either way, have some friends over, sit outside, and enjoy the holiday.  (Perhaps you could quiz them on the origins of Labor Day!)

In order to celebrate this day, I created some awesome (and *free*) printables!   All you have to do is double click and then save the image.  {Or download the file from the FREEBIES page!}  I printed them, cut to size, and slipped them into a few two sided frames.  You can place them around your dinner table or even around the house for some festive décor with a bit of a conversation starter!

I hope you enjoy these freebies, and let me know how you used them during your celebration!