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Thanksgiving is not ‘Gray Thursday’ [UPDATED]
Published 10:03am Friday, November 23, 2012 Updated 12:04pm Friday, November 23, 2012Getting up early to wait in line for great holiday deals on Black Friday has been a tradition for years, and many look forward to this day for weeks and even months. Recently, however, several stores have made the move from Black Friday to “Gray Thursday” to get an edge on the competition, and we think that’s taking it too far.
Thanksgiving is a day to enjoy the company of friends and family. Employees and shoppers should not feel obligated to miss out on these special days that are few and far between.
We aren’t saying the government needs to jump up and stamp a law into existence that says “nothing can be open on Thanksgiving,” but we do think blue laws should be taken into consideration.
Car dealerships and liquor stores can’t be open on Sundays, and because there is no competition, business isn’t affected.
Retailers like Sears, Target and Kmart began Black Friday bargains on Thanksgiving, a trend that is spreading quickly out of necessity to keep up with competition. This pulls employees and shoppers away from the dinner table on one of the only remaining days of the year to spend time with loved ones.
Competition among retailers is important and necessary, but we think some kind of agreement or compromise needs to be made.
