What year did Labor Day become a national holiday?

Welcome to the wild world of labor history, where the sweat of the working class mingles with the sweet scent of barbecue and the distant echo of silenced alarm clocks. Labor Day: that magical time when Americans unite in their shared love of doing absolutely nothing productive. It's a holiday so ingrained in our cultural fabric that we've practically forgotten its origins, much like how we've forgotten the pain of wearing real shoes after a summer of flip-flops.

But before you slip into a food coma induced by one too many hot dogs, let's take a moment to appreciate the irony of celebrating labor by not laboring at all. It's a beautiful paradox, really. We honor the hard work and dedication of generations past by lounging on the couch, remote in hand, binge-watching shows we've seen a thousand times before.

Of course, Labor Day isn't just about relaxation and retail sales. It's a time to reflect on the progress we've made in workers' rights, from the revolutionary concept of weekends to the groundbreaking idea that maybe, just maybe, working conditions shouldn't resemble a Dickens novel.

As you fire up the grill and crack open a cold one, you might find yourself wondering in what year was Labor Day first celebrated as a national holiday in the United States?