Five Things You Need to Know Today: Labor Day Edition

1. IT'S A CANADIAN TRADITION, EH?

Yes, it's true. Stemming from labor disputes in the 1870s in Toronto, a parade was held in 1872 in support of a strike against workweeks that were — gulp! — 58 hours. Two dozen union leaders who were responsible for organizing the event were arrested under anti-union laws.(Source: Huffington Post)

2. THERE'S A FIRST FOR EVERYTHING

The first Labor Day holiday was celebrated on Tuesday, Sept. 5, 1882, in New York, in accordance with the plans of the Central Labor Union. The Central Labor Union held its second Labor Day holiday just a year later, on Sept. 5, 1883. In 1884 the first Monday in September was selected as the holiday, as originally proposed, and the Central Labor Union urged similar organizations in other cities to follow the example of New York and celebrate a "workingmen's holiday" on that date. (Source: http://www.dol.gov)

3. NO MORE HOT-DOGGING

Did you know Labor Day is the official end to hot dog season? (Source: Largemart.com)

4. UNUSUAL TRADITIONS

Anyone who would like to see a couple of unusual events taking place on Labor Day will need to take a trip to Nome, Alaska. Here you can enjoy the annual Great Bathtub Race in which four contestants push bathtubs with wheels and filled with water carrying a fifth team member. The annual Snake River Duck Race is another spectacular event you will not want to miss. Here you will see thousands of plastic ducks arriving on the river after moving through miles of twists and turns.(Source: Largemart.com)

5. HOPE YOU LOVE YOUR CAR

Think your commute to work is long? The average American spends more than 100 hours a year commuting to work which is more than two weeks of vacation. (Source: Macaroni Kid)