When I was growing up in Massachusetts, most stores - except for the corner grocery stores - were closed on Sundays and holidays. As we were raising our young children, some stores were allowed to open at noon on Sundays and holidays. Then in 1994 the blue laws were essentially abandoned and Sundays and holidays made little difference in whether stores were open or not.
I actually liked having most stores closed on Sundays. It made Sunday a different day of the week, a day of peace and relaxation. Now, Sundays and holidays are far from days of peace and relaxation.
And the Christmas season may be the best example of just how bad it has gotten. Black Friday began as a way of one chain store trying to get an advantage over its competitors. But now that every chain store is opening on holidays, that advantage has gone away. The business now is essentially selling at a discount stuff that would otherwise be bought at regular prices. In Massachusetts employees who work on Sundays and holidays must be paid time-and-a-half. So, revenue is less, costs are more. There is no financial advantage when everyone is doing the same thing.
If there is no financial advantage, then why don't we return to a more human way to enjoy Sundays and holidays?
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