New Petition Calls For All Stores To Close On Boxing Day

Everyone has their traditions over the Christmas period. There's the obligatory three hour game of Monopoly, the ugly jumper you throw on every year, and of course the inevitability that you'll end up stuffing yourself full of pigs in blankets while watching Love Actually.

Oh, and spending absolutely all your Christmas money when you go sale shopping on Boxing Day. For many, it's a staple part of the season.

However, we're starting to feel a little guilty about our annual shopping sprees, as there's now new calls from disgruntled retail workers to shut down all stores over Boxing Day this year so they don't have to miss out on the festivities.

Almost 53,000 people have even started a petition on Change.org, in which they argue that families should "be allowed to spend Christmas together, not working."

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The petition adds that there is need for people to dash and bag a bargain before the New Year, subsequently stopping workers from being able to spend time at home.

One woman, who had signed the petition, poignantly wrote in the comments: "I want my son to be able to enjoy Boxing Day with his new baby and extended family".

Meanwhile, another respondent said: "Let's not forget the true spirit of Christmas, time is precious!"

A third agreed: "Everyone should be able to enjoy at least two days off at Christmas. Christmas has become all about money. Totally wrong".

The surge in calls to ditch Boxing Day sales came after Home Bargains revealed it wouldn't be opening its doors this year to allow its workers a well earned Christmas period away from the tills.

But unfortunately for most workers, it's a plea people have been making for years to no avail.

In 2016, 235,678 people signed a similar petition which was put before the Commons Select Committee, but no change was made.

At the time, the government opened an online forum to hear the public's views on the matter, before debating the issue.

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However, they eventually responded: "We do not believe it is for central Government to tell businesses how to run their shops or how best to serve their customers.

"Therefore we are not proposing to ban shops from opening on Boxing Day."

Topics: Christmas, Life News, Shopping

Joanna Freedman

Joanna is a journalist at Tyla with a particular interest in highlighting women's issues and telling inspiring first person stories. She's also their resident foodie, and loves covering exciting new beauty launches, too. Contact her at [email protected].

@joannafreedman