It is hard to believe that summer is almost over. Sadly, with the approach of Labor Day, summer is quickly winding down. For the nation’s capital, it signals a return to the grind, and for children, it’s the end of summer fun. While we may think of Labor Day in terms of parades, barbecues, and social gatherings, the national holiday is really rooted in the history of the 19th-century labor movement. Labor Day 2015 will be celebrated on September 7, and Conklyn’s is eager to encourage customers throughout our community to celebrate summer by making flowers an important part of your holiday table or picnic décor.

Some Interesting Labor Day Facts

The earliest efforts to establish a holiday on which to honor American workers began in 1885. It started at the local level and gradually, interest spread throughout states, leading up to efforts within individual states to get the legislature to recognize Labor Day.

On February 21, 1897, New York became the first state to pass legislation declaring that the first Monday of every September would be celebrated as an official Labor Day holiday throughout the state.

The United States Congress didn’t succeed in passing legislation making the first Monday of September an official federal holiday until 1894. On June 24 of that year, Congress passed legislation enacting a law in Washington D.C. and other U.S. territories that made the first Monday of every September, the official yearly Labor Day Holiday.

Sometime in 1894, though the exact date isn’t clear, President Grover Cleveland declared that the first Monday of every September would be observed as a federal holiday in all states. It’s worth noting that Cleveland made that decision after he failed to end the railroad workers strike.

Since most Labor Day celebrations take place outside, we think that the flowers you use in your celebration should consist of something that will work well on a picnic table, a picnic blanket, or on a patio dining table or even an end or coffee table. The “Summer Garden Bouquet” is a delightful floral arrangement that will create the illusion that you’ve got a basket of freshly cut garden flowers as the focal point of your celebration.