Retailers Opening on Thanksgiving Day

[SiotehCat]

I would have no problem shopping on Thanksgiving. I don't usually, because I never know what's open. I also go to the movies on Christmas. I didn't even realize the theater was open on Thanksgiving.

I think it's fine for stores to be open and I will probably shop at a few this year. My life doesn't stop just because it's a holiday.

[MindsEye]

I have been shopping on Thanksgiving once... because I didn't realize that my turkey didn't fit in the roaster till that morning and had to run out (Target) and get a bigger one. 

I can't even imaging going retail shopping on Thanksgiving.  I am usually way too busy with eating and visiting with family!

As for Black Friday, you couldn't pay me to go to to a shopping mall or big box store then!  And I am still too busy eating (leftovers) and visiting family anyway... 

[Venus193]

Many years ago I made a resolution to finish my Christmas shopping before Thanksgiving.  Black Friday is for writing out the few paper cards I send, wrapping gifts, and watching movies.  I might also work on my overdue opera blog this year.

[kherbert05]

It's funny. I have been seeing a lot of anger on relative's Facebook pages about this, but we have a tradition in our family of going to the movies on T-day and Christmas. There was never any rage about those poor theater employees that have to work. Why are retail workers so different?

Yep. I guess no one here has ever gone to see a movie during Thanksgiving or Christmas.  lol.  I know I have and I plan to do it again next Thursday! 

Honestly I can say I've never gone to a retail establishment on
Thanksgiving
Christmas
New Years
Easter
Memorial Day
4th of July - except commercial Fireworks shows


My school is open on Veterans' Day but we spend it honoring veterans.


There used to be a family tradition of sending the teens to a movie on Christmas Day - but theater was owned by some friends who were Jewish and only their family was on duty. When the parents retired and the kids moved on the tradition stopped before I was in 1st grade.

[Redneck Gravy]

It's funny. I have been seeing a lot of anger on relative's Facebook pages about this, but we have a tradition in our family of going to the movies on T-day and Christmas. There was never any rage about those poor theater employees that have to work. Why are retail workers so different?

I used to work at a movie theater, no one seemed too outraged on my behalf either.

I used to boycott Black Friday, now I have two grandkids and I will be out chasing down good buys for them on Thursday and Friday. 

[GlitterIsMyDrug]

It's funny. I have been seeing a lot of anger on relative's Facebook pages about this, but we have a tradition in our family of going to the movies on T-day and Christmas. There was never any rage about those poor theater employees that have to work. Why are retail workers so different?

I used to work at a movie theater, no one seemed too outraged on my behalf either.

I used to boycott Black Friday, now I have two grandkids and I will be out chasing down good buys for them on Thursday and Friday.

I worked at a call center for one Christmas. No one was outraged on my behalf...they were outraged at me for calling them but didn't seem to care that I had to work.

I'll be out on Black Friday, but I won't do Thursday. I like it on Friday. Thursday is too intense for me. Plus I don't want electronics or toys, just the cheap DVDs at Target and maybe few other things.

[Redneck Gravy]

Here's another of my rambling thoughts...

Yes, DD and I would like to eat our dinner and put both grandkids down and get a good nap but because she is a single parent we are inspired to hit a couple of sales.

She set up a spread sheet of where we needed to be at what time for which product and then I had her plug in the price differences to see where we could save the most money in case we missed the sale item or if it was worth NOT waiting in line for and to just go ahead and buy it.

You would be amazed at the savings for the stuff we are looking at, close to $200 we are going to save if we get everything on our list - you know that's a lot of money for a single mom. 

We aren't getting any tv/dvd grown up electronic type stuff - this is just big toys for the kids from each of us and Santa.  And if we don't get them at the ridiculous sale prices we don't know that they will be available later in the season, even for more money.

I used to work at a newspaper, a radio station and I have worked at a movie theater - I have worked every holiday there is.  Yes, I hated it sometimes but I chose those jobs knowing this would be an issue.  Retail employees are NOT all paid minimum wage either - in our booming town they start at double the minimum wage right now (of course rents are out of sight ridiculous too).  So while I am sympathetic with those that do not want to work those days, they chose their job and they can certainly change fields in our area right now and do something different.

[Lady Snowdon]

I've worked holidays before, and the worst part of it for me was the people who wanted to talk about how awful it was that I was working on a holiday.  Wasn't that just terrible?  I must just hate it!  It's so awful that XYZ is open on holidays.  When I worked at the airport for one holiday season (ended up working Thanksgiving and Christmas that year), I told one gentleman who just wouldn't stop talking about disgusting it was that I was there, "Well, I'm here because people like you are interested in flying on the holidays and so people need to work in order for there to be flights.  How many bags did you need to check again?".  I got called very rude but at least he stopped trying to sympathize with me. 

I would be okay with retailers being open on Thanksgiving if I knew that employees could have the day off.  I haven't heard of people having the choice of taking it off, and that makes me mad.  If an employee values a day off versus possible additional money (at one job I got paid extra for working on a holiday, at another I didn't), then I think that person should be able to request the days off. 

[padua]

What I get upset about is that for retail workers especially, there is no holiday at Thanksgiving any more. And I'm wondering when Christmas will become a retail day as well.

I don't understand why most of the rest of the US gets a holiday and retail workers don't. There's no need to shop on Thanksgiving. If someone wants a day off to sleep or go hiking or watch a marathon of old TV shows, that's as valid a reason as getting together with family.

Not trying to dictate what they *should* be doing, just wishing they had the day off, as I will, to do whatever they darn well please.

I like holidays.I like days off.  I just wish everyone could enjoy them.

i agree with this as well. holidays were created to give time off to be with families. if people no longer need time off with their families, it just becomes a day of extra pay. and what employer wants to do that? my husband's boss doesn't provide holiday pay for that reason. people wanted to stay open for the holidays for extra pay. now he doesn't offer the extra pay- he just expects people to work the holidays. i'm not a fan of losing the time off i have just to become a 24/7 shopping/entertainment accessible society.

i'm also not a fan of people expecting access and convenience constantly. i totally get what one poster said when she wrote about going to the hospital and needing med's. but if you forgot the mashed potatoes or left the turkey buying until the last minute, don't demand you get it. learn to be more planful next time or get creative. sometimes the 'not always right' webpage makes me cringe because so often it's a case of 'my crisis needs to become your emergency' or however the saying goes.'

[Goosey]

Do hourly retail people get paid for holidays now?

[GlitterIsMyDrug]

I would be okay with retailers being open on Thanksgiving if I knew that employees could have the day off.  I haven't heard of people having the choice of taking it off, and that makes me mad.  If an employee values a day off versus possible additional money (at one job I got paid extra for working on a holiday, at another I didn't), then I think that person should be able to request the days off.

I think a request is fine. But your employer doesn't have to honor that request. Now maybe if they give up one of their regular days off in exchange for the holiday.

[Yvaine]

I've worked holidays before, and the worst part of it for me was the people who wanted to talk about how awful it was that I was working on a holiday.  Wasn't that just terrible?  I must just hate it!  It's so awful that XYZ is open on holidays.  When I worked at the airport for one holiday season (ended up working Thanksgiving and Christmas that year), I told one gentleman who just wouldn't stop talking about disgusting it was that I was there, "Well, I'm here because people like you are interested in flying on the holidays and so people need to work in order for there to be flights.  How many bags did you need to check again?".  I got called very rude but at least he stopped trying to sympathize with me. 

Yeah, it's kind of like when people go out to lunch on Sunday and rant about how waitstaff shouldn't have to work on Sunday. Well...the customers are providing the demand...

(ETA: And I'm talking about myself too! I'm really glad someone was working at Megabus last Thanksgiving, because I ended up needing it that day and couldn't travel on any other day!)

[squeakers]

I don't get the hype over a "holiday" that celebrates the beginning of genocide. 

Someone else who will still be working on all holidays: farmers.  Animals still need to be fed and cleaned up after.

[BigBadBetty]

In college, I worked at a video store that was open every day of the year. We got time and half plus a bonus for working holidays (double-time for Christmas). There weren't any problems finding people to work holidays because of the extra pay. However, I understand that many of the retail workers now are not getting anything extra and face firing if they don't work.  That's where I have the problem.

[Venus193]

Brunhilde's husband will be working on Thanksgiving, but he will get triple time and they need the money.  He is a security guard, so his turn would come up sooner or later.