The problem is that many people who work retail used to have Thanksgiving Day off. It used to be that it was a guarantee that Thanksgiving and Christmas were two days a retail worker would have off. Yes, they might have had to go in super-early on Black Friday to prepare for the shoppers, but that was on Friday. Now, with Black Friday sales starting on Thanksgiving Day, most retail workers don’t have the option to spend the day with their family anymore.
There are three grocery stores in our town. One closes for Thanksgiving Day, another has shortened hours (they close at 1 p.m.) and then there’s the one where I work which is THAT major retailer and has started their Black Friday sales on Thanksgiving afternoon instead of Friday morning. No chance for any employees to have the day off. I’ve had people suggest, “Well, don’t go to work that day.” but getting fired right before the holidays doesn’t seem like a good idea.
So far, we’re still closed on Christmas Day, but judging from the number of shoppers who still show up, hoping for the doors to be open, that might not last much longer. I hope I get to retire before that day comes. In all reality, it’s the shoppers who have killed the holiday for the workers. People willing to give up a holiday at home to spend money will always influence the corporations. If they wouldn’t show up to shop that day, we wouldn’t have to work, but I don’t see the pendulum swinging back any time soon.
