To think other supermarkets should follow Waitrose lead and close on Boxing Day

[Sparklybaublefest]

So hard on the workers.
My Asda is open from 8 am on boxing day, not even sunday hours.

We live abroad and shops closed at 2pm on Christmas Eve and won't open until tomorrow morning. It doesn't seem to be considered an issue here and while shops were busy on the 24th, there was certainly nobody there at 4 or 5 am. Didn't open until 7am at the earliest and that's when the supermarket will open tomorrow as well. Most other shops will open between 8 and 10am.

I never minded working Boxing Day. Double time and it was rather quiet. (Wholesaler type store not a department store though)

My OH gets triple time if he works on Christmas Day, Boxing Day, NYE and NYD. I almost want him to be called out.

Marks and Spencer store and separate food hall were both closed in the retail park today, while Next and Boots were open.

@NeedAnExpert - I meant the indigenous (sorry for previous spelling!) population of the Arab countries which people from this country frequently visit.

My parents lived in the UAE. Ex pats have no issue getting booze if they want it. Bank holidays were set around the Islamic calendar, of course, but not a massive issue for them (they have no religion).

@MilkTrayLimeBarrel

1. Why should it be observed, just because there are more Christians than non-Christians? So what?

1. The UK is a MULTICULTURAL country. You cannot compare it to the Arab world. One has no state sanctioned religion or culture, the other is mono religion and mono culture. I see people all the time say 'but in their country, we'd have to go by their culture and not do this or that' and it is a false equivalency. You cannot compare the two.

1. Ah, I posted too soon, I see you did attempt the False Equivalency above. "Minorities who live in our country must accept our customs, just as we must accept the customs of foreign countries we visit if we are not to offend the indiginous population."

There are no 'customs' in the UK that are compulsory, as it is a MULTI-CULTURAL country, so 'minorities' don't have to abide or accept any customs, as they have a choice, hence the UK being a multi-cultural and multi-religious_ country. You simply cannot compare strict mono cultural/mono religious Islamic countries (for an example) with western multi cultural and religious countries. You just cannot. It is a false equivalence.

1. No actual Christian is 'offended' by stores being open on Christmas Day or Boxing Day. It is a harmless concept that does not affect Christians.

Live and let live I say. Having stores open hurts no one.

No actual Christian is 'offended' by stores being open on Christmas Day or Boxing Day

How do you know?

One has no state sanctioned religion or culture

Uh...Church of England, anyone?

How does a store being open on either of those two days offend a Christian (who won't be going out to the store, so wouldn't know they're open, anyway) who is at home, @RufusthebewiIderedreindeer ?

@adaline I meant sanctioned as in mandated. Ie compulsory. Being CofE is not compulsory in the UK.

So you dont know....

Thats fine

I'm glad some shops are open! Ran out of bin bags and needed emergency feminine products!

I can safely say no Christian would be offended by stores opening on days they won't go there, @RufusthebewiIderedreindeer .

It may not be compulsory, but England is still a Christian country which is why we follow Christian Bank Holidays. It's also why, up until fairly recently, shops were closed on Sundays and why, even now, people can use their faith to opt out of Sunday working if they wish.

The Church of England is our state religion - you might not like it, but that doesn't make it any less true!

i can safely say no Christian would be offended by stores opening on days they won't go there

I can safely say that there are christians out there who would be offended by the idea that that shops are open on Christmas day whether they go there or not

I think those people should be ignored...but they exist

OK - let's try another viewpoint. Whatever you say, this country is predominantly Christian - Church of England and all that - I am not even suggesting that shops should be open - I really don't care either way - what I am saying is that these are our customs. We celebrate Christmas at this time of year, and it IS religious. Go back 50 years and you would not have minorities trying to change OUR country and how we celebrate Christmas, just as we would not try to change the customs in, e.g. Arab countries, Japan or China.

England is still a Christian country which is why we follow Christian Bank Holidays.

What about the bits unfortunate enough to be glued on to England?

England =/= Britain.

We celebrate Christmas at this time of year, and it IS religious.

Most of the ways you celebrate predate Christianity. So 🖕🏻

Go back 50 years and you would not have minorities trying to change OUR country and how we celebrate Christmas,

Go back a bit further and you’ll find Christians murdering the pagans who would not convert to their sky fairy and stealing their Yule celebration. Festive as fuck, right?

@MilkTrayLimeBarrel
that these are our customs

And no one is stopping you from observing Christmas or being religious.

not have minorities trying to change OUR country and how we celebrate Christmas

What are you talking about? Why are you assuming it is minorities who are trying to change your country or how you celebrate Christmas? Just where are you getting this from?!??? NO ONE is stopping you from celebrating Christmas! NO ONE is trying 'change' your country (except for big businesses who want extra money on those days - but they're ok, because they are not 'minorities', right?). Saying people would like to shop on Christmas Day and/or Boxing Day, does NOT equal a 'minority' wanting to 'change' anything. It takes nothing at all away from you. It just gives more people choice.

just as we would not try to change the customs in, e.g. Arab countries, Japan or China.

No one is trying to 'change' your 'customs'. Again, you are inventing things that are not even happening. And, you still cannot grasp the fact that 'your' country is a MULTI-CUSTOM country. There is no 'one' custom, to change. There are many customs. Yours isn't the only way. If you want a country that is mono-ethnic, mono-culture, and mono-religious, I suggest you move to another country because 'your' country is certainly not the right one for you. Your country has multi-customs, multi-faiths, multi-cultures, and the sooner you understand that and accept it, the better you will feel.

PS You're pro-Brexit, pro-tory and pro-Trump aren't you? Wild guess.....

England =/= Britain.

I know. I specified England for a reason - because Scottish and Irish law is different.

Waitrose and John Lewis may be closed on boxing day but shop and warehouse staff still have to work to prepare for the sales.

*I know. I specified England for a reason - because Scottish and Irish law is different.
And wales isn’t worth bothering about?

There was a thread yesterday about shops shutting for the whole of the period between Christmas and new year. I'm sure the sentiment would be different if that meant that retail workers either didn't get paid for a week or were forced to use up a working week's worth of annual leave that they'd rather take at another time.

DH's non-retail company shuts down for the week and they have to use up 3 days of leave for it. It's been the same in previous jobs in the sector.

That's not an M&S thing @paranoidmum2. Our local retail park M&S doesn't usually open boxing day but the metrocentre one does.

And wales isn’t worth bothering about?

Wales has the same Sunday/BH trading laws as the UK.

But get offended over nothing if it makes you feel better