Gene Veith invites us to join the historic Christian tradition of co-opting pagan holidays by giving them Christian meaning.
Veith suggests we transform “Labor Day” into Vocation Day in observance of the Doctrine of Vocation:
God has called us to our work, as a means of love and service to our neighbors. And He works through our callings to provide daily bread to all of His creation. And we are to live out our Christian faith in our various callings–in our work, yes, but also in our family vocations and in our cultural vocations. So getting a little break from work, having a cook out with our families, taking part in the cultural observances are all fitting ways to honor and to celebrate how God chooses to act through human beings, through us.
For more solid teaching on the much-neglected doctrine of vocation, see Veith’s excellent book God at Work: Your Christian Vocation in All of Life.
Update: Al Mohler also offers some insightful thoughts on approaching both labor and leisure as gifts of God.