Where as most countries in the world commemorate Labour Day (UK Spelling) on May 1, we, in the US commemorate the day on the first Monday of September (In 2019, the date will be Sept. 2). While this day is not really used to historically commemorate the true meaning of the day anymore, many in the US sj holiday or long weekend. For those families living in school districts that are starting a few days after Labor Day, they may decide to take a longer vacation, maybe starting the week before. So, some of your colleagues may take an extended holiday this time of the year.
In general, we do not talk about prices of things with our US counterparts. However, talking about, or better yet, complaining about, gas prices seems to be something most people talk about.
Typically, gas prices are high for Labor Day because people tend to be on the roads. However, this year, in 2019, news outlets claim Labor Day weekend gas prices will be lower than usual, but may increase after the holiday depending on how the hurricane season pans out. In the video here, the commentator says the gas prices will be cheaper by about a quarter. A quarter is 25 cents. Learn more about American money and coins here.
Of course, if your colleague is going out of town for the weekend, it’s completely OK to ask them what they are doing or where they are going in general terms. Here are some pictures of a few things my husband and I have done the last few years during Labor Day weekend in Utah.
In September 2017, when we stayed in Moab, Utah, we stayed in an RV and not a hotel. If you go to Moab, you can find this on Airbnb under FUNSTAYS. We highly recommend them. We have stayed in three different RVs they rent. They are fully furnished, even with kitchenware so you can cook your own meals.
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Author, Jennifer, and husband outside Moab, enjoying the red rocks! |
We have made Moab, Utah our go to place for the last few years for Labor Day weekend due to the Moab Music Hike. This is a very unique experience where concert goers meet at the local school in Moab, get on a bus, go to an undisclosed location, take an easy less than mile hike into a desert amphitheater and listen to live classical music. I also recommend this experience. All proceeds to go music education in the area.
Check out the site for the Moab Music Festival. Purchase your tickets as soon as they go on sale in April to secure your spots!
Moab Music Festival- Music Hike 2018
Note: Some Americans do not want to go anywhere, and just prefer to stay home and do yard work, home improvement projects, or just relax. Some who stay home and just relax may call that a ‘staycation.’
Don’ts: Where are you going with your family on Labor Day weekend?
Do: Doing anything fun or going anywhere for Labor Day?
Do: What do you normally do on Labor Day?
What do you plan on doing for the Labor Day weekend? What tips do you have to help others with their Labor Day weekend travel planning?
Jennifer Kumar, author of this post, has lived in India for about 10 years. She provided coaching and training to your offshore teams to build effective working relationships across global borders. See our programs on virtual meeting management and personal coaching to build consultative and communication skills for English as Second Language speakers working on development teams interacting with native English speakers.
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