Summer is officially coming to a close. The weather is getting cooler, the school year is beginning and the season of fall is just a few short weeks away. Many people often associate this end of summer with Labor Day Weekend. There are summer sales at the mall, end-of-summer barbecues and final beach getaways. I have always thought Labor Day was America’s most random holiday. I understand it is to recognize the labor movement, and the social and economic achievements of American workers, but who chose the day? Why September? This year I decided to research and discover what this holiday's history and purpose is. Here are some fun facts to impress your family and friends with during your unofficial last weekend of summer.

1. The first Labor Day was on Tuesday September 5, 1882 in New York City.

On this day, 10,000 workers marched from City Hall to Union Square.

2. In the late 1800s, the average American worked 12 hours a day, seven days a week.

During this time, labor unions became more vocal and began organizing more strikes to protest the poor working conditions.

3. Grover Cleveland declared Labor Day to be the first Monday of September.

President Cleveland expedited passing this law through Congress in order to stop the labor riots across the country.

4. Oregon was the first state to make Labor Day a holiday.

This happened 5 years after the first parade in 1887.

5. Canada has their own Labor Day as well.

Their first recognized Labor Day was in 1872, 10 years before the United States'.

6. Children as young as five- or six-years-old were working in the 1800s.

They worked in factories and mines, and faced the same poor working conditions.

7. In other countries, the labor movements are honored on May 1.

Known as May Day, many European countries celebrate this holiday.

8. According to the census, there are about 158 million working people in the US.

Another fun fact: of those, four million people work in retail.

I hope everyone had a chance to wear white attire one last time this past weekend, and enjoyed quality time with friends and family. The countdown to fall break begins no