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Labor Day Guide

Labor Day is celebrated on the first Monday in September. The federal holiday originated in 1882 from the pleas of the Central Labor Union to give the working person a day off. Today, Labor Day is a symbol of the end of summer, and the return of notebooks  and lunchboxes  for school children. Families across the nation close up their swimming pools and gather around for one last neighborhood barbecue. Many towns have parades on Labor Day with marching bands, floats, and candy. 

Tips for Throwing a Great Labor Day Barbecue

  • Send out invitations  at least 6 weeks in advance. Labor Day is the second most popular barbecue day of the year. If you want a lot of people to come, it is best to send out the notice about your bash well in advance, before people RSVP to another barbecue.
  • Make sure your guests RSVP and let you know if they are bringing any other family members. If they are bringing children, ask how old the children are so you can prepare appropriate games and activities.
  • Be sure to alert your guests on the invitations to notify you of any special dietary needs (vegetarian, milk allergy, etc) and preferences.
  • You might want to invite your guests to bring one dish of their own to make ensure that their is a variety of dishes available and enough food to go around.
  • Plan on more than just food. Set up a volleyball net  for a friendly game between co-workers, a poker table  for your boss, or even a scavenger hunt for the kids. Definitely make sure that the children at the party have enough activities to keep them occupied. Your guests will stay longer if their kids are having fun rather than pulling at their jackets and asking "can we go home now?" every five minutes.
  • Does your town have a big parade on Labor Day? If so, you probably want to schedule the barbecue for after the time of the parade, even if you aren't attending. Many of your guests will likely want to stop by and see the local marching band, so it is best to schedule your barbecue for an hour or so after the parade is scheduled to end.
  • Set up a buffet table.  Make sure to put out some chips and dip, as well as healthier snacks to munch on like grapes, celery, or strawberries.
  • Don't forget dessert! Your guests, especially the younger ones, are likely to want one last ice cream sundae before the autumn chill sets in.
  • Have an alternative plan for bad weather. Rainy day? Don't let it rain on your party. Set up a tent  outside if you don't have enough room indoors for everyone. Plan on indoor activities, such as card games,  video games,  and board games.  Grill your food on the old frying pan  if it's not safe (due to lightning or high winds) to cook outside.
  • Use a grill  that you know well. Don't embarrass yourself by not knowing how to use a new one. If you are inexperienced with the grill, try using it the day before to get to know how it works.
  • Plan on people sticking around for awhile. You know the neighbor who never stops chatting? Plan ahead for your party to go into the wee hours. Make sure you have candles  and outdoor lights  if the party will be held outside.
  • Don't forget drinks! Make sure you have plenty of soda, water, alcohol, and juice! Store drinks in a cooler  filled with ice to keep them cold.

Top Products for Labor Day

All the Necessities to Throw a Better Barbecue than Last Year's

The star of the show: your grill. 

Everyone loves board games! 

Paper or plastic plates,  because you don't really want to wash all those dishes, do you?

Volleyball  is tons of fun for the whole family!

Great barbecue tools  make it easy to feed all those guests who forgot to RSVP.

Invitations  will make sure you have plenty of guests!

Make sure you have a cooler  to keep beverages nice and chilly.

A tent  is a great way to keep guests dry on raining days and protected from the sun on hot days.

Buffet tables  keep the food line moving and encourage munching and mingling.

Make sure you have plenty of seating with inexpensive fold up chairs! 

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