Why do places close New Year's Day?

[nile455]

I never understood what makes 1/1 a holiday. It's not a religious day, nor does it honor anyone important. And I can understand stores closing early on 12/31 because of all the get togethers leading up to midnight but why do they close early 1/1? So employees can get home early for.... ?

 

[bicker]

Having a set of exceptions from the "Monday to Friday" rule gives people a little boost in terms of morale -- helps them get through what, for some, is the drudgery of the "work-a-day life". New Year's Day, Presidents Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Veterans Day, and Thanksgiving are all secular holidays, appropriate for a secular society like the United States.

 

[I'mNoPrince]

I think it's because they know most people will be up after 12:00 when most normally go to sleep around the 10:00pm mark to get their required 8 hours of sleep.
Most will also be away with family so this is more of a travel day then anything else.

 

[1Prince2Princesses]

Maybe it's because of the number of people calling in sick with "mysterious" illnesses!

 

[slo]

I manage a retail store and we are closed today.

For us....it's something nice for our employees to not make them come in today after they were up late last night.

 

[Luv'sTink]

Maybe it's because of the number of people calling in sick with "mysterious" illnesses!

I think is more the reason. I don't really get it either.

 

[nile455]

Having a set of exceptions from the "Monday to Friday" rule gives people a little boost in terms of morale -- helps them get through what, for some, is the drudgery of the "work-a-day life". New Year's Day, Presidents Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Veterans Day, and Thanksgiving are all secular holidays, appropriate for a secular society like the United States.

Those honor someone or something important. Even Labor Day is for those in the work-a-day life you refer to.

 

[nile455]

I manage a retail store and we are closed today.

For us....it's something nice for our employees to not make them come in today after they were up late last night.

I can sort of understand closing all day 1/1 because of the late night before it, but why are some places open on 1/1 but close early? Publix for example, closes at 7pm near me when they are normally open till 10 on Mondays. Where do people have to go on the evening of 1/1?

 

[bicker]

Those honor someone or something important. Even Labor Day is for those in the work-a-day life you refer to.

And New Year's Day honors all of us, not so much for what we did last year, but as incentive for what GOOD we'll do in the coming year.

 

[I'mNoPrince]

I can sort of understand closing all day 1/1 because of the late night before it, but why are some places open on 1/1 but close early? Publix for example, closes at 7pm near me when they are normally open till 10 on Mondays. Where do people have to go on the evening of 1/1?

I agree with this one I can see opening late then staying to normal hours.

I know our grocery thats normally 24hr has a reduced staff and close as well.Maybe they shift the first and second shift together and close down the third.

All I know is we are close and well do have someone on-call and that only happens a few times a year.I work for a non emergency service company in the printing field. Someone always needs something printed today.

 

[luvwinnie]

Our malls here are open, but they used to be closed for Jan. 1. I think they should.

 

[PamOKW]

Traditionally, everything was closed on January 1. Over the years, more and more stores found it necessary to be open. January 1 used to be (and still is for some) a a day to get together with family and friends. Many people held "open house" on this day -- for friends and neighbors to come and go to be together. People get together, watch the Rose Bowl, watch the bowl games. Around the world, people spend time together on January 1 -- I remember pre-cell phones being widely available, seeing lines at the pay phones at WDW as tourists from everywhere called to wish friends and family a happy new year.

Because of the late night, not that many people are interested in going grocery shopping or out to restaurants, probably why many continue to have reduced hours on this day.

It is also a holy day for Roman Catholics -- the Solemnity of Mary. This year because of the way it fell on Monday, it's not a Holy Day of Obligation in the U.S. (a decision by the bishops -- it is in Canada and may be in other countries as well.)

 

[safetymom]

I think the stores should be closed for the holiday. There isn't anything you need to buy on 1/1 that you couldn't buy on 1/2. Unless you need something from the pharmacy. I worked in one and couldn't believe the emergencies that people came in for on the holidays.

 

[bicker]

Another down-side to having stores closed on New Year's Day would be all the folks who get paid only for the hours they work -- there would be that many fewer hours for them to work and get paid.

 

[ckay87]

Because it's a holiday...it just is! Just take a break - why not???

 

[tevagirl]

Because it's a holiday...it just is! Just take a break - why not???

There you go. These are my thoughts. Kind of on the lines spoken by all mothers at sometime in their child's life...."Because I said so, that's why!"

 

[gradtchr]

Everybody deserves a day off or early release once in awhile. Today's society seems way to we must have everything right now and how dare we be inconvenienced so that others can take a much needed break after the holidays.

Plus there's PARADES and FOOTBALL on and who wants to miss that?

 

[ckay87]

Hey, everything used to be closed every Sunday, remember that? Considering nothing closes anymore, hardly ever, we can use all the holidays we can get!

 

[gradtchr]

Hey, everything used to be closed every Sunday, remember that? Considering nothing closes anymore, hardly ever, we can use all the holidays we can get!

AMEN!

 

[Jonas Grumby]

Hey, everything used to be closed every Sunday, remember that? Considering nothing closes anymore, hardly ever, we can use all the holidays we can get!

I agree!!!