Remember when going shopping on Thanksgiving was a thing?
By NJ Chicaa
@NJChicaa (125402)
United States
November 27, 2025 2:43pm CST
Stores have done crazy shopping things like opening at midnight on Black Friday for a very long time. Insane people line up to fight over TVs, toys, etc. But like 10 years ago or so it became a thing for the stores to open up on Thanksgiving afternoon supposedly so the women could shop while the turkey was in the oven and the guys were watching football. 
I remember hating the whole idea the first year it became a widespread thing. I used to work in retail at GAP and I hated the idea of having to miss Thanksgiving dinner with the family to have to go to work. I had a friend who was the loss prevention manager at the local JC Penney department store. He had to miss the family dinner each year because he had to be at work. I was always so disturbed by that.
I'm not one of those crazy Black Friday/Thanksgiving shoppers but it occurred to me this morning that I haven't heard anything about stores opening up on Thanksgiving. I remember eventually there was a backlash about it and stores started proudly announcing that they wouldn't do it so their employees could spend time with their families. I don't know if stores do it any longer. I mean I know they are still opening at midnight or crazy early hours but I haven't heard about them opening on Thanksgiving.
Do stores still do this? Do you go shopping on Thanksgiving or Black Friday?
I remember hating the whole idea the first year it became a widespread thing. I used to work in retail at GAP and I hated the idea of having to miss Thanksgiving dinner with the family to have to go to work. I had a friend who was the loss prevention manager at the local JC Penney department store. He had to miss the family dinner each year because he had to be at work. I was always so disturbed by that.
I'm not one of those crazy Black Friday/Thanksgiving shoppers but it occurred to me this morning that I haven't heard anything about stores opening up on Thanksgiving. I remember eventually there was a backlash about it and stores started proudly announcing that they wouldn't do it so their employees could spend time with their families. I don't know if stores do it any longer. I mean I know they are still opening at midnight or crazy early hours but I haven't heard about them opening on Thanksgiving.
Do stores still do this? Do you go shopping on Thanksgiving or Black Friday?4 people like this
4 responses
@DaddyEvil (162494)
• United States
34m
Walmart did that for a while but I always scheduled a vacation day so I wouldn't have to go in to work.
No, we don't go to stores on Thanksgiving or on Black Friday. There isn't anything we need or want enough to brave the stupid people crowding into the stores.
1 person likes this
@AmbiePam (107180)
• United States
4h
I know Walmart is not open on Thanksgiving any longer, and I remember when they were. They have Black Friday sales online for Walmart + members starting about a week before the traditional Black Friday.
Never in my life have I gone to a Black Friday sale, midnight or any other time. All it would do is stress me out. I remember my parents did it once, and then said never again.
1 person likes this
@RasmaSandra (91217)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
2h
I save my money and don't do any shopping on these days unless I really need something, Anyway, what little I could save will add to my SS and at the beginning of December I will be able to get some extra groceries,
1 person likes this
