Every Tuesday night my son Will rolls out the trash can to the curb for Wednesday morning pick up. In over 20 years of enjoying the privilege of curbside garbage service, it’s something I’ve never taken for granted. I appreciate the service and the men and women who do the work. In a few days we will celebrate these men and women and all workers who labor hard to make our country great. Whether you are picking up trash or delivering roses or performing open-heart surgery, your contribution is vital and greatly appreciated.

We thought we would post the perfect 10 things to do this Labor Day weekend to make it a blast. If you are a business owner, you can share these ideas with your employees. Just steal them. You don’t have to give us credit. Hey, maybe you can make some of these ideas possible for your employees. It would be a great way to show your appreciation for their hard work.

Here we go.

  1. Do you remember drive-in theaters? They still exist and are a ton of fun. Watch from your vehicle or set up chairs or blankets. Many theaters will let you BYOC (bring your own cooler), but PLEASE order food from the concession stand. The nachos and cheese are delish. You’ll thank me later. It’s a festive event. Here’s a link to all of the drive-in theaters in the country.
  2. It’s a minor thing. Take your family to a minor league baseball game. The ticket prices are reasonable (hint, hint business owners) and it’s exciting to watch these guys hungry for the big leagues hustle. Speaking of hungry, you really can’t beat the nachos and cheese here. And many times there are free give-aways and celebrations on holiday weekends. You will hit a homerun with your family, that’s for sure. Then come home and watch Bull Durham. Here’s a link to the website for Minor League Baseball to find your local team and schedule.
  3. Or is it a fantasy? I am a normal grown, mature man with a wife and children, but this is my 11th consecutive year playing fantasy football and it’s a blast. This weekend will be huge for fantasy drafts online or in person. Hurry up and get some friends together, form a league and start playing. You won’t regret it. If you already like football, fantasy football is like your favorite spice that brings out the full flavor of the game. And don’t forget to trash talk. That’s the best part. Ladies, you can play, too. In our work league here at Chronotek, Paige took home the championship last year. In-person drafts are better. You can make it a party, but online drafts are good, too. Yahoo and ESPN are popular hosting sites. And Paige, you are going down this year!
  4. Know when to fold them. I’m not suggesting that you spend your weekend doing laundry. Instead, host a Texas Hold’em tournament. You can play with chips instead of cash and the winner gets that fanny pack you got for Christmas last year and is still in your closet. The comradery is awesome.
  5. Get back to nature. Go glamping. Yes, it’s a thing. Like camping, but just a notch below the Holiday Inn Express. Or maybe glamping is better. Glamping is short for glamorous camping. You normally find glamping sites in picturesque, wooded spaces and instead of using your own tent, you have a nice tent, a treehouse, RV or cabin. The accommodations can be quiet creative. Get your glamp on here and if you’re a newby, you might want to check out this beginner’s guide.
  6. Be a homebody. We get it. You worked hard all week and you’re looking forward to a quiet weekend around the house. Throw some steaks on the grill, do a little yardwork or binge on the Game of Thrones. Do all of that and toss in a game night with the family. You’ll be surprised at how much your older kids will still enjoy sitting around the table playing games. We have always enjoyed Monopoly, Life, Scrabble and a new game most recently called Codenames. Check out some popular games for ideas. The most important thing-be present. Enjoy the time with your family.
  7. Fire it up! Have a bonfire and invite the neighbors and family. Assign different people to bring the wienies, graham crackers, marshmallows, and chocolate bars. For a twist, throw slices of banana on your Smores. Again, you will thank me later. Tell some scary stories and then go inside to watch a horror flick. Or we sometimes play a story game in which one person starts a story with a few sentences and then you go around with each person adding to the story until the conclusion. It can get crazy.
  8. Another novel idea. Read a book. It’s one of the most relaxing things I know. Escape for a few hours into the mind and adventures of the main character as he or she saves the world from Armageddon or falls in love with the wrong person only to discover true love in the end. With the Kindle app on your phone, you don’t even have to go to the bookstore or library.
  9. #Giveback.  With the extra time you have find an organization in which you can volunteer for a few hours. Maybe a homeless shelter, your church, a clinic. Time, talents, or treasures – we all have something we can give back.  It is as good for the soul as much as it is for the recipient.
  10. Peaceful, easy feeling. If you are fortunate enough to have Labor Day off, ease into it. You jump out of bed every day and race off to work. Slow down. Get your coffee, go out to your back patio and watch the sun rise. You deserve it. Then tackle one of the other ideas.

Whatever you do this Labor Day weekend, we hope that you thoroughly enjoy it. We are very grateful to all of the workers doing all sorts of jobs to help our great country. We are also thankful for the small business owners who support and treat their employees well. Have a great one!

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