Top 5 Products for Labor Day Weekend

August 12, 2022December 23, 2022 ~ Online Stores ~ Leave a comment

It’s that time of year, again. Schools are resuming session, their doors opening to sunburnt, some bummed, summer kiddos. Sports are returning from hiatus, their practices and games coming back into play. Amusement parks are trying to squeeze one more weekend out of you and your wallet, vying for just a little bit more of your time and money. I am of course talking about Labor Day weekend, the unofficial end of Summer. The time where we get one more weekend to get our butts on the lake. One more weekend to get together with our friends and family before the busy season kicks in and revs itself into high gear. One more weekend to just bask in the warm glow of summer’s goodness and all it brought. Sweet sunny rays and lounging on the porch. One more weekend to party your little hearts out in whatever way suits your fancy.

Does it involve grilling? Hot dogs? Hammocks? However you like to spend your Labor Day weekend, we have put together this list to help aid you in your celebration. Celebrated nationally since 1894, Labor Day was the turning point for the American worker. With a holiday to celebrate them and all they do, we started to see more and more labor laws go into effect. 12-hour days and 7-day weeks would no longer be the norm, at least for the vast majority of workers in the industrial world. This was thanks to the plethora of unions sprouting up all over the place and many more people organizing on their own accord to fight for a better way to live. Labor Day is a pretty great holiday. Not only is it a wonderful time to commemorate and honor workers all over the world and country, past and present, but it’s a whole heck of a lot of fun to do it together. Here at the United States Flag Store, we have compiled a list of our Top 5 Products for your Labor Day Weekend Celebration!

1. USA MADE 3×5′ American Flag

First things first, let’s get you set up with a new American Flag. Whether you don’t have one or maybe it’s just time to replace that Old Glory that hasn’t come down for the better part of a decade, it is always great to make sure your symbol for The United States of America is in tip top shape and suitable to be the center of attention or as an eye catcher at your party. The flag I am going to recommend for you today is the Super Tough brand 3′ x 5′ American Flag. It is easily one of our most popular flags with a 5-star rating from over 800 reviews. This flag is made of nylon and won’t require too much wind to see ‘er wave at you. Made 100% in the U.S.A., there’ not many better ways to honor American workers than by buying from American workers. Not only that, but it’s also super fade resistant and tough to beat.

2. Valley Forge 20ft Flagpole

In addition to updating your American flag, we also offer a beautiful 20ft Flagpole to proudly display your flag at home, having a flagpole increases curb appeal and you can hang 2 flags at once on the same pole like your State flag or Military flag under the American Flag. This particular flagpole kit also comes with a free American Flag! Our customers love this flagpole and often comment how easy installation was and that it is very durable.

3. Decorate your front porch with a Patriotic Pleated Fan

You can show your red, white and blue in more ways than just the flag, but also with a patriotic pleated fan! These look great on entryways, porches, railings and add that extra bit of flare and zest to your party and home. Celebrate this historical holiday with these historical decorations from yesteryear.

4. Gather around an American Flag Firepit

Labor Day weekend is the perfect time for a bonfire. The weather is cooling off at night, making it the perfect opportunity to gather round a nice, warm fire. This American Flag Firepit is made of steel and in the U.S.A., so you know your fire is going to be safe and well contained. We have two different options for this one, a tattered American Flag and standard American Flag, made with a laser cut design with the classic look of unfinished steel, you’d be hard pressed to find a cooler piece of practicality and patriotic pride.

5. Get ready for your local Labor Day Parade with Small Hand Flags

You know there is going to be some parades going on, what better way to add to the celebration than to bring some American stick flags? We have got a wide array of American stick flags to meet whatever needs you may have. Whether you are looking for an 8″ x 12″ or 12″ x 18″, spear tip, ball tip, no tip, no fray and sewn edges, we got you covered. Make your parade super special and memorable by handing out these flags to some excited kiddos who get to experience the celebration and pride for the first time.

There you have it! Just a little list from us at the United States Flag Store to try and help you ring in this fantastic holiday. These products are sure to bring your festivities some patriotic vibrancy. And just remember, whatever you wind up doing, always strive to be safe and have fun.

The History of Labor Day

August 30, 2018 ~ Online Stores ~ Leave a comment

Celebrated on the first Monday of every September, Labor Day honors the contributions and achievements of the American worker. Becoming a federal holiday in 1894, Labor Day originated during one of American labor history’s most dismal chapters.

At the height of the Industrial Revolution in the United States during the late 1800s, the average American worked 12-hour days, 7-days a week. And this was just to manage a basic living. Also, and despite restrictions in some states, children as young as 5 or 6 worked in mills, factories, and mines earning a fraction of their adult counterparts’ wages. Workers of all ages, the very poor and recent immigrants, often faced extremely unsafe working conditions, with insufficient access to fresh air, sanitary facilities, and breaks.

As manufacturing work replaced agriculture as the main source of American employment, labor unions grew more prominent and vocal. They began organizing strikes and rallies to protest poor conditions and pressed employers to renegotiate hours and pay. In New York City on September 5, 1882, 10,000 workers took unpaid time off to march from City Hall to Union Square, holding the first Labor Day parade in U.S. history.

Many of these events turned violent during this period, including the infamous Haymarket Riot of 1886, when several Chicago policemen and workers were killed. Then on May 11, 1894, employees of the Pullman Palace Car Company in Chicago went on strike to protest wage cuts and the firing of union representatives. Two months later, the American Railroad Union led by Eugene V. Debs, called for a boycott of all Pullman railway cars, crippling railroad traffic nationwide. To break the strike, the federal government dispatched troops to Chicago, unleashing a wave of riots that resulted in the deaths of more than a dozen workers. These events, among many others, brought workers’ rights squarely into the public’s view.

The idea of a “workingmen’s holiday,” celebrated on the first Monday in September, caught on in other industrial centers across the country, and many states passed legislation recognizing it. Congress, however, would not legalize the holiday until 12 years later after the massive unrest involving the Pullman Palace Car Company. In an attempt to repair ties with the American workers, Congress passed an act making Labor Day a legal holiday in the District of Columbia and the territories.

More than a century later, the true founder of Labor Day has yet to be identified. While many credit Peter J. McGuire, who co-founded the American Federation of Labor, others have suggested that Matthew Maguire, a secretary of the Central Labor Union, first proposed the holiday.

United States Flag Store is here to answer all your questions. Feel free to give us a toll-free call at 1-877-734-2458 or email us at support@onlinestores.com.

Labor Day

September 2, 2016August 31, 2016 ~ Online Stores ~ 1 Comment

Back in May, Memorial Day marked the beginning of summer, leading to three months of barbecues, vacations, and outdoor activities. After a long and hot summer, we are now at Labor Day in the United States. Children go back to school and the summer traveling season slows down. Labor Day is the day where many take the opportunity to have one last hurrah. A final barbecue, trip to an attraction, or to take the day off.

Every first Monday in September is Labor Day in the United States. The day is to celebrate the everyday worker and their achievements. The first Labor Day was celebrated in 1882 in New York City by the Central Labor Union. The second Labor Day was held a year later on September 5th, which was held the previous year on the same day. Finally, as originally proposed, it was changed to the first Monday in September in 1884. It was originally held in New York City, but then other cities followed suit. Eventually, a few states began to propose Labor Day observations in their legislatures. In 1885, Oregon was the first state to officially recognize Labor Day as an official day while New York was still introducing the bill to their local legislators. By June 28, 1894, Grover Cleveland officially signed the act into law under the pressure of Congress.

Which one? There is debate on who originally proposed the idea of Labor Day. Some say it was Peter J. McGuire, who was the founder of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America. Others say it was Matthew Maguire, who was a machinist and a secretary of Local 344 of the International Association of Machinists in Patterson, NJ.

In the present, Labor Day is considered a public holiday, so major government offices, post offices, and schools are closed to observe the holiday. Many businesses are also closed in observance or close early. Those who do work on the holiday are usually given holiday pay.

-CD