Most Major Retailers Will be Closed on Thanksgiving [Opinion]

I probably wrote something similar last year, but I feel the need to write about it again this year. I am thankful that in Maine, we don't have shopping for the most part on Thanksgiving.

It's one of only a couple of days out of the year that we stop and smell the roses. Ten years ago, I would have been OK with Thanksgiving shopping, but in this sped-up digital world where everything goes non-stop, I'm happy that we can all rest at least for that one day.

If there was shopping on Thanksgiving and the deals were big, there would be no get-togethers and if there were, they would be for a quick bite and then everyone would be out at the stores.

For every employee who would want Thanksgiving off, there would be a few that would work the day for holiday pay. As for family, we have choices, we could have a have a family day even with the stores open and just not give into the shopping, but that's not reality. Besides, I like the hoopla that is Black Friday, I love watching the stampede from my couch at 6 am as the doors fly open on the morning news. Note, I'm watching it and not there.

At least at 12:01 am when some stores open on Black Friday, it gives some time for the food to digest and a few hours to clean the house and most importantly, your gathering isn't watching the clock for when the stores open.

Thanksgiving for us begins with the parade on TV, then around noon we get together for dinner, afterwards at about 3 pm, we look through the flyers and decide on where to go if anywhere Friday morning. Lynn is usually the one who braves the elements, I'm the one who stays and watches the kids.

What do you think, should the big stores be open on Thanksgiving or not?